Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant
by Harmonious-Magic
Summary: A "what if" story that will explore an magical land with ancient ties and a darker modern day Brittan.
1. Prologue – A Gift from a Visitor

**Part I – A Wizard's Betrayal**

**Prologue - A Gift from a Visitor**

Magic is not ours. It was brought into our plane by the goddess Danu who imbued the land with its power. Today it is of the earth. It comes to us from the earth and returns there once expended. When we hold it within us, we are only borrowing that which belongs to everyone and everything. It is what we do with that borrowed magic that is truly ours alone. We lend much of ourselves to the expression of magic. It is how we use magic that is truly ours alone.

It is because of this fundamental nature of magic that identical spells may well have very different results that are purely dependent on the caster. If you asked five friends to cast the _Orchideous_ charm, you will most certainly be presented with five very different bouquets, which I'm sure we can agree is a always a wonderful way to start the day. Does one of your friends' conjurings contain yellow daisies? Ask them to cast _Decorum__Floris._ The resulting mural, drawn as it is from their personal expression of magic, will most likely also contain those same yellow daisies.

- L.S. Lovegood, _Teachings__on__the__Ethics__Magic,__4__th__edition_

**Friday, March 7, 1997 – Azkaban Wizarding Prison, off the north-east coast of Scotland**

The Dementors had begun paying Harry Potter more frequent visits over the last few weeks. He'd changed cells a handful of times during his incarceration at Azkaban. Until the most recent change, each new cell seemed to bring slightly easier conditions and fewer visits by the Dementors, although every time there was a change he would get a few unscheduled visits from the foul creatures guarding the block he'd moved into. He had learned the reason for that from one of the human guards. Each prison block had its own unchanging set of Dementors. Whenever Harry was moved the creatures assigned to his new location wouldn't resist getting a taste of the famous Harry Potter's misery. But after a short while the Dementors would follow orders and stay away. Until recently, Harry's guards were for the most part human. Early on in his incarceration he had been told derisively that this was because he was considerably more susceptible to the Dementor guards than most people were. This was hardly news to him.

Recently things had changed again and unlike previous moves, Harry's latest relocation had not been one for the better. In his latest cell, the last few weeks had been hellish. In this new cell there was no bed, or bedding of any kind for that matter. His toilet consisted of a small hole in the corner of the otherwise bare cell. Meals seemed to come much more sporadically and consisted of only mealy undercooked oats. He didn't ask what the dark lumps were. His water consisted of a half cup served with meals plus whatever he seepage he dared drink from the small collected pools between the stones that made up his floor. But worst of all was the increased presence of the Dementor guards.

He knew they floated by his cell at least hourly. Despite his constant exposure to the creatures, he still regularly passed out when they approached him. As when he first encountered the creatures in his third year at school, Harry still relived his mother's death whenever they floated by. But nearly as bad as that memory was a newer one. Now he also relived Voldemort's resurrection in the graveyard in Little Hangleton. In that memory he always relived Cedric's death, Voldemort's resurrection rite and horrible fear that he was going to die at the end of the ritual. But at Azkaban, the horrors were not limited to those daytime visits. The Dementors loved to prowl the cellblocks when the prisoners were asleep. They fed hungrily off of the emotions from the nightmares their visits induced.

But for Harry, the horrors didn't end at the conclusion of reliving his worst memories or terrible nightmares when the Dementors finally left him alone. Invariably another voice would fill his thoughts and dreams afterward. It was a voice Harry knew belonged to Voldemort himself. Following Harry's imprisonment, it had not taken Voldemort long to realize he could navigate the link been Harry's mind and his own. The dark lord loved to hear the boy scream in torment. Afterward he would often taunt the boy, calling him weak for weeping at the loss of his parents; calling him stupid for mourning the loss of Cedric, a boy whom Harry had barely known; telling him that he was enjoying Harry's slow decent into madness.

Harry woke up most mornings in a cold sweat, shaking in fear. It was only the mental exercise he did at those times, thinking of those few whom he cared about who were still alive, that kept him sane. Invariably his thoughts focused a single person. Most often, Harry would break down in tears at the loneliness he felt from her absence.

A day ago Harry had awoken from a very different dream. He couldn't recall most of it, but he did recall a visit to his cell by a small yellow bird and then a visit from his friend Hermione. Even in his encroaching madness he knew it couldn't been real. Such a visit was impossible. The rest of the dream had been lost to him, but for the first time in weeks, Harry had started the day filled with happy thoughts. The Dementors of course had recognized this and spent even more time than usual near Harry's cell. By noon, the faint memory of that dream and the happy feelings it had filled him with were gone.

The horrible waking memories, constant nightmare and visits from Voldemort were taking their toll. In his lucid moments Harry knew his recent relocation to this more oppressive block in the prison did not bode well. He reasoned that something had happened and whoever had acted in the past to insure his survival in Azkaban had changed their minds. Harry knew he was going to die.

oOoOo

Harry's subconscious registered the sound of small bird's chirp. The occasion of such an unusual sound in Azkaban caused the young wizard to awake with a start. Searching for the source of the sound, he slowly crawled from the far corner of the cell to the bared door. He seldom ventured to this side of the cell as it brought him closer to the Dementor guards. From the floor, he looked both ways down the cellblock. Despite having long ago lost glasses, he was able to spot a small yellow bird, a canary perhaps, flying from cell to cell, peering in at the occupants. Every so often the bird seemed to sing a short sad song to whatever figure it found in the cell. Once or twice the bird seemed to flit back away from the cell it was inspecting either in horror or surprise. After the small yellow bird had inspected half a dozen cells it seemed to spot Harry and shot towards the boy and flew towards his cell.

"Hey little guy, what are you doing here?" Harry asked the bird in a horse whisper. "You should leave before someone tries to catch you." Harry guessed that many of the block's residents would delight at a morsel of meat, even if it were raw. The bird ignored his advice and entered his cell. As soon as the bird was inside, it alighted on one of the rocks that protruded slightly from the wall. Once it landed, it began to peck at one of its legs. Seeing this, Harry asked it, "What are you doing little fella?" Although Harry didn't see it from his position on the floor across the cell, the bird pulled loose the binding on a small pouch, no larger than four grains of rice and dropped the bag on the floor. As soon as the tiny bag hit the floor, it magically expanded into a rather well worn book-bag, the type used by the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This task accomplished, the bird hopped off its perch and landed softly on the floor. As soon as the bird touched down it quickly transformed into a girl. Shocked at the transformation, Harry skittered back into the corner of the cell, pulling as far away from his guest.

Harry's visitor almost seemed to expect this reaction. "It's alright Harry, it's me," she said softly, crouching low to reduce the difference in height between the two. He noticed that she had momentarily wrinkled up her nose at him. Both Harry and his cell smelled awful.

It took Harry a few seconds to register what his eyes and ears were trying to tell him. "Hermione, is that you?" Harry asked shocked at her presence in a voice scratchy and thin from disuse. She looked very familiar, but was bigger than he remembered and her hair was now a medium blond instead of light brown. Also the bushiness was gone, replaced by an airy feathered appearance.

"It's me Harry," the girl answered.

"How did you get here?" he asked

"I told you yesterday, don't you remember?" She bent over and grabbed the book-bag she had brought with her, and began to rummage around.

"No, I don't." Hermione frowned at this, realizing Harry was in worse shape than she had thought. She also couldn't help noticing that the boy was shaking and twitching. She hoped once she freed him, healers would be able to reverse the apparent neural damage she'd been told he might have suffered from long-term exposure to the Dementors.

Hermione found what she was looking for and pulled it out of her bag. She unstoppered a small vial and handed it to Harry. He took a sniff. "It's a strengthening solution," she explained. You need to be stronger to travel. I wish we had a couple more days so you could take more, but this second dose will have to do." With that explanation, Harry drank down the potion. "As to how I got here, it was the same way Sirius broke out. I've been training to become an Animagus."

Harry stared at the witch unbelievingly. It had taken both Sirius and his father three years to pull off that off. He thought he must have been rather far off on his estimation of the term of his imprisonment. "How long..."

"A little more than a year and a half." Her voice faltered, "I'm sorry it took so long. Sirius and Minerva said I was forcing the form too much. I guess I wanted to make sure it was something useful."

It took Harry a few moments to realize that Minerva must have been his former Transfiguration professor, Minerva McGonagall. That Hermione was now on a first name basis with her was another indication that much had changed while he had been locked up. "I…I can't believe you did it so quickly. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We need to get you out of this place. Fudge has been arrested and is no longer the Minister of Magic. We think he was the one who ordered the guards in this place to keep you alive. Fudge's replacement is a man named Pius Thickness. He's either being controlled by Voldemort or is loyal to the man."

"So my survival is no longer desired," Harry furnished. The look on Hermione's face confirmed his assumption. "I figured something like that had happened."

Hermione pulled a necklace from the book bag and hung it around Harry's neck. It had a fine and delicate chain that was silver in color. A pendant hung from the chain about two inches across. One side of the pendant had a three dimensional relief of a serpentine dragon. On the reverse were unfamiliar designs that looked vaguely Celtic or Druish in origin that were most likely runes. "This is supposed to take you somewhere safe. We hope it will breach the prison's wards."

"How?" he asked.

"It's powerful and not something we think the Ministry has seen before. If that's true, we don't think they could have warded against it. Take this bag," she instructed the wizard. "Your wand is in there as well as directions to where I'm staying. I've also written down everything that's happened while you were in here. There are a few other things in there you might be able to use when you get to where you are going."

"Where is that?" Harry asked. Before Hermione could answer, an all too familiar chill began to fill the air. "Get out of here. If they catch you…" Harry started.

"I'll transform back and fly out as soon as I activate the pendant," she said, pulling out a wand on a chain around her neck.

Harry felt the sensation of the formation of tiny ice crystals on his skin and felt himself beginning to grow faint. "Go!" he yelled.

Hermione hesitated just a moment. She had no idea when, or indeed if she would ever see him again. "Harry… I love you. I love you with all my heart. I always will. Please remember that."

Following her declaration, as her wand tip moved quickly towards the pendant, Harry replied, "I love you too 'Mione." The moment the wand touched the pendant Harry was thrown back into unconsciousness.

# # #

(Author's Notes)

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling and various multinational corporations. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

This story is rated T for violence. I reserve the right to increase the rating at a later date.

Reviews are welcome. Constructive criticisms are especially appreciated. Please keep your flames to yourself. I do this for fun.

This story is self written and edited. If readers spot an error, they are free send me PM's and I will correct my mistakes. Whenever I post a new chapter, I may also post a corrected version of the previous chapter.


	2. Chapter 1  An Unhappy Wizard

**Chapter 1 - An Unhappy Wizard**

His believes that there is no good or evil. Such ideas suggest an outside, perhaps even divine influence on one's actions. He believes there is only right and wrong and such decisions come from within.

- S.I. Nullblade, _Tales of the Longest Walk_

**19 Months Earlier – ****Grimmauld ****Place, London**

"Would someone _please_ tell me what's been going on," Harry Potter's frustration which had built since the end of the school year was clearly evident from the chill in his voice. Weeks of frustration from having received no word from his friends of any substance, no news on Voldemort since Harry had witnessed the man's resurrection, nothing at all from his mentor whom he had assumed would be at his side, had all built to a head. The just completed three hour bone chilling broom ride from his Aunt and Uncle's home in Little Whinging to this apparent hide-out on the north-side of London. As far as Harry could tell that trip could have been completed in less than sixty minutes by car and even less time if they had flown along a direct route. The endless detours had further soured Harry's mood. His dismissal by the adults upon his arrival minutes earlier at this was the final straw. While their transgression might not have been the worst he'd suffered, the focus of Harry's anger was now on those whom he had been disappointed the most: his friends.

The four Weasley children who were in the room exchanged looks with one another as if this were exactly the reaction they were expecting. Harry's best friend Ron Weasley and his friend's older twin brothers seemed to have discussed Harry's blow-up in advance. Ron gave the others a look that seemed to be telling them, 'I told you so', while Fred and George appeared to be more amused than anything else. The last person there was Ron's waif-like younger sister Ginny who seemed rather nervous at the expected confrontation. Other than that, the only other movement in the room was from Ron's owl Pigwidgen. The hyper-active bird was zooming to and from the dresser towards Ron and back again.

Harry was in no mood for games. He was still wet and cold from his flight and after a summer of being pretty much ignored, he now wanted his questions answered. "Maybe we can start with something simple," Harry said in a louder than normal voice. "Where the devil are we?"

"We're at the headquarters of the Order," Ron told him.

"What the bloody hell is the Order?" Harry snapped.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Ron answered hesitatingly.

"Oh well that, explains it," Harry said, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"They were a group of wizards and witches working for Dumbledore who stood up to V… you-know-who the first go around," one of the twins said amending Ron's earlier explanation.

"Dumbledore resurrected it, now that you-know-who is back" the other twin added.

"So you all have been here fighting Voldemort while I've been stuck at the Dursleys, in the dark about anything that's been going on, not allowed to do anything despite the fact that I've done more than the lot of you for the past four years." Harry's voice was rising in agitation.

"It's not like that mate," Ron said. "They won't let us do anything. We're treated just like a bunch of bloody house elves. All we do is clean this sorry excuse of a house morning noon and night. And all of it without magic. Look I've got doxy bites up and down my arm." Ron pulled up a sleeve to reveal a half dozen small red welts. "It's the worst bloody summer of my life. We haven't even been allowed to listen in on meetings. You really haven't missed out on anything mate."

"Although we did have a way of listening in on meetings until mum caught us," one of the twins told Harry, showing both their pride at their success and frustration at having their Mom put a stop to their eavesdropping.

"And why hasn't anyone passed word to me what's been happening?" Harry spat, not at all interested in Ron's doxy wounds. He hadn't even noticed the boy's bandaged fingers.

"Dumbledore ordered us not to," the twin who Harry was pretty certain was George told him.

"Why not? Doesn't he trust me?" Harry asked loudly.

The look the other twin gave Harry seemed to suggest that this might actually have been closer to the truth than they would like to admit, but not wanting to anger Harry, he'd chosen instead to pass along what they had officially been told. "Dumbledore told us you needed a break from all this after seeing you-know-who come back. He figured with that along with Cedric's death you'd need a break for a while," one of the twins told him.

"And you listened to him, kept me in the dark, knowing from my letters how badly I wanted some information about what was going on." Harry said, rounding on Ron.

"Well, yeah. He's Dumbledore after all," Ron explained, as if this were all the justification he needed.

"Besides, Hermione tried to let you know what was going on, and look what it got her," Ginny added with a bit of a sneer.

Harry spun in place and rounded on the witch. "What are you talking about?" She seemed to wither under Harry's glare. Realizing she wasn't about to explain this comment, Harry turned back to Ron. "What's she going on about? What happened to Hermione?" he asked Ron in a threatening tone.

George cringed at this revelation. They had all agreed that needed Harry to be calm before the topic of Hermione was raised. He seemed to be the only one to remember the plan.

"All summer she's refused to listen to Dumbledore. She refused to listen to anyone for that matter," Ron told Harry.

"And…?" Harry asked, realizing quickly that there was something else here he wasn't being told.

"They finally took her wand to keep her from trying to get to you. She's been locked in her room the last couple of weeks," Ron told him.

"What do you mean she's locked in her room? Why would her parents allow that?" he asked.

Fred winced slightly as he answered "She's not at home. They're keeping here at headquarters."

"What? She's locked up here? Where is she?" Harry was yelling now. Nobody answered. "WHERE?" Harry repeated more forcefully. Harry's magic seemed to pulse from him, creating a minute pressure wave the four Weasley's all felt and that rattled a few of the knick-knacks on the shelves in the room. Both Ginny and Ron jumped.

"End of the hall, on the left," Fred told him. As Harry barged out of Ron's bedroom, shouldering his way past Ron and George as he left, Fred continued to speak to his twin "He definitely needs to relax more."

"Stress like that'll kill you," George added.

"Right you are brother o'mine," Fred concluded as they followed Harry from the room.

oOoOo

Harry had been confused by his thoughts and feelings towards Hermione all summer. He had been more upset with her avoidance and lack of communications than anything else's. This may have been because subconsciously he knew he shouldn't have expected more of Ron. There were times when Ron's actions were far from considerate when it came to how he treated Harry. First and foremost, Ron had been a right prat towards Harry the previous fall when Harry's name had emerged from that damnable Tri-wizard Cup. But he had expected more from Hermione and that made her distant behavior to him this summer all the more painful. It was almost as if he didn't recognize the witch who had written those superficial and uninformative letters to him while he'd been secluded at Privit Drive. Those feelings of abandonment had conflicted with other feelings about the witch that he had begun to acknowledge in earnest at the start of the summer. He knew that his feelings towards her started to change at the Yule Ball the previous December. When she arrived at the ball looking so incredibly pretty at the dance in her pale blue dress, Harry finally recognized that his friend was indeed very much a girl. That she had explained this fact so vociferously only a few days earlier to Ron was now a point of embarrassment to the young wizard. Before the of the ball, he had never thought of her 'in that way', as he put it to himself. The strictly platonic nature of their friendship had so clearly defined their relationship. Before that night, for his part, their friendship was rooting in his respect, admiration and caring for the witch. He now realized upon more recent reflection she in fact was by far the most important person in his life. The night of the Yule Ball that had changed. He finally added attraction to the mix of feelings he had towards the girl. And yet, Harry did not allow that change to affect their relationship. Harry's nobility would not allow him to get in the way of whatever was happening between his friend and fellow Tri-wizard competitor Viktor Krum. Hermione had never discussed that relationship with Harry and he respected her privacy in the matter, but he knew it was very important to her. At first, whenever the slightest feelings of jealously arose, Harry crushed them, allowing that his best friend, who had done so much for him, deserved the best. Harry knew Viktor was a better man than he was. 'He was smart enough to see her for what she really was, so he deserves her', was his rationalization to himself of the winter when he considered the pair. But those feeling slowly began to change during that period, even if Harry wasn't fully aware of that fact himself. He was finally able to fully acknowledge his feelings for her had changed when Hermione announced she wasn't going to visit Krum this summer after all, as she had suggested months earlier. Relief washed over him at her declaration that 'she and Viktor were just good friends.' Still, he had spent a good part of the summer wondering just how good of a friend Viktor had been. Perhaps that was one reason he was so upset about the communications black-out. He really needed her help in understanding what he was feeling, and that help was not available. An more important, could she feel the same way about him?

Now he was learning that Hermione was apparently being held prisoner for doing just what he had most desperately wanted: letting him know what was going on. This act sent his feelings once again into turmoil. As Harry approached the room Hermione had be locking into at Grimmauld Place, one thought pushed out all others. 'Perhaps I have been an absolute fool to think that she would betray me in any way.'

There was only one closed door on the level and Harry correctly figured that it led to the room Hermione was being kept in. Harry tried the doorknob with no success. He pounded on the door a couple times and yelled," Hermione, are you in there? It's me, Harry." After receiving no response, he pounded on the door again and shouted, "Hermione, answer me! Are you all right?"

By this time, the three Weasley boys had made their way down the hallway to join Harry. "She can't answer you mate," Fred said. "Mum silenced the door last week."

"Said she was tired of hearing, 'such dreadful language'", George explained, the final bit in an uncanny imitation of his mother.

"That witch has quite a mouth on her," Fred said. "Cursed anyone and everyone who walked by."

"Even taught us a few new words," George said.

"Didn't think she had it in her," Fred said with a grin.

Harry scowled at the two boys and tried the door handle once more, this time with a bit more force.

"It's no use mate, we told you its locked", Ron said resignedly. Although Harry missed it, Ron's disappointed tone seemed to suggest that Harry was acting exactly as badly as Ron had expected.

Harry looked at Ron and then turned back towards the door. He did the next thing he could think of. Taking two steps back, he charged the door and slammed into it with his shoulder. The whole house reverberated with a loud bang as Harry made contact with the solid object. The door did not budge. He stepped back a second time, and this time with a run-up of several steps, Harry slammed full force into the door. Once more whole house seemed to shake with a loud bang. Once again the door did not budge, although Harry's shoulder was beginning to get sore.

"Your shoulder will give out long before one of mum's locking spells," Fred said.

"Trust us on that one, Harry," George told him as Ron nodded in agreement.

At this news, Harry quickly pulled his wand and pointed it at the door, intent on using the unlocking spell Hermione had taught him nearly four years earlier. Before he could cast it though, both Weasley twins had their own wands in their hands, the quicker one shouting, _"Expeliamus_." Harry's wand flew out of his hand and back toward the caster grabbed Harry's wand out of mid-air.

For once, the twins were completely serious. "No magic for you. Harry," Weasely twin number one said.

"Strict orders," said Weasely number two, the one holding his wand.

Harry turned and said "Give me my wand, now." His icy voice filled with menace.

"Sorry mate, it's not going…" whoever was speaking didn't have a chance to finish as Harry dove at him, leading with his fist. It was a glancing blow, but both boys tumbled to the ground with Harry winding up on top.

"Hey," the struggling Weasley twin yelped, "git-off!" His twin jumped in the fray, trying to stop Harry who was now swinging hard with both fists at the boy who had just disarmed him. Soon all three were rolling around on the floor, brawling with wands forgotten. Harry was outnumbered two to one against larger opponents who apparently had learned to fight based on the number of body blows he was receiving. Fortunately, being his larger cousin Dudley's punching bag for much of his youth had taught Harry two things: how to take a blow and how to fight dirty. For his age, Harry's cousin was definitely the dirtiest fighter he could ever have seen in action. Using one of Dudley favorite moves, Harry quickly pulled up his knee. Harry was granted with a sharp inhale by George, whom Harry had successfully kneed in his 'block and tackle'. Sensing his chance, Harry lowered his head and bit the boy in the arm that was holding Harry's wand. George screamed in pain and dropped both wands he was holding. They rolled a distance away. Harry exhaled in frustration as the wand he was trying to regain was just barely out of his reach, as he was still being restrained by Fred.

Ron was standing stock still with Pig on his shoulder, astonished by the three boys' wrestling and that evidently they were trying to do one another real harm. Ginny on the other hand, finally saw a chance to help her brothers. She pulled her wand and quickly fired a spell at Harry. Unfortunately for her, at that exact same moment, Harry and Fred did a half roll. Ginny's spell missed Harry but struck Fred square in the back. A half dozen miniature bats flew out of the boy's nose and started to attack him in the face. Screaming, Fred released Harry and the smaller boy dove for his wand.

Just as Harry regained his wand, his godfather, Sirius Black came pounding up the stairs, yelling, "That's enough!" He followed closely by a huffing and puffing Molly Weasley who was admonishing the three fighters to, "Stop it! Stop it right now."

Although the combatants had become separated, Sirius didn't take any chances and cast a spell forcing the three boys against the walls of the hallway and holding them in place. It was a basic Auror spell from his days before he had been locked away in Azkaban.

With a quick waive of her own wand, Molly vanished Ginny's conjured bats. Except for a half dozen tiny bites on his face, Fred was unharmed. On the other hand, Harry was glad to see he'd bloodied George more than a little bit. Harry doubted he looked quite as bad as his opponent and had apparently given better then he'd received. Despite this, George didn't appear to be all that upset, apparently have actually enjoyed the fight. Ron on the other hand looked as if the fight has confirmed his worst fears. Harry heard the boy muter, 'completely unhinged,' under his breath.

"What in Merlin's name do you boys think you are doing?" Molly Weasley yelled.

Instead of answering, Harry immediately went on the offense. Looking at his godfather in the eye, he told the man "I cannot believe that you've allowed someone to kidnapped Hermione and hold her prisoner," he said gesturing towards the bedroom door where his friend was locked up. "After all she did to help you escape and _avoid being kissed_ how could you let anyone do that to her?"

Sirius paled at the accusation, but didn't answer.

Ron seemed to have thought Harry was under the impression that it was the Weasleys who had locked-up Hermione. The boy spoke to defend is family. "It's his house," Ron said. "He's the one who locked her in."

"How COULD you?" Harry asked, anger clearly evident in his eyes for this perceived betrayal.

"Dumbledore didn't give us much choice," Sirius explained. "She was becoming a danger to both you and herself."

"Bullox," Harry spat. "How could you, you bastard?"

Harry hadn't noticed anyone else come up stairs, but a familiar oily voice told him they had been joined by a third adult. "Brawling Potter? Like a common muggle? I should have known you were as useless a wizard as your father was." It was the Hogwarts Potions master, Severus Snape.

Harry felt a strong urge to use his wand on his professor but resisted temptation, knowing he would be in a great deal more trouble if he had done so. "What's he doing here," Harry demanded of Sirius with a scowl.

"He's in the Order" Sirius explained in a bitter voice that left little doubt that he thought this was a bad thing.

"The meeting isn't over yet Black. We have no time for this. I suggest you bind and silence these five for now so we can finish it. You can deal with these imbeciles later."

"That won't be necessary," Sirius told Snape in an unfriendly manner. Turning to Harry he continued, "I'm going to release you and let you in to speak with Hermione. We'll have dinner after the meeting is over. We can talk more then."

Harry shook his head in disagreement. "NO! You are going get her wand back to her immediately and then after we've spoken, you're going to let her go back home."

"Fair enough," Sirius answered. He didn't feel the need to add that this was already close to the plan the Order had in place, so long as Hermione agreed to certain conditions to preserve the secrecy of the Order's location.

At that moment Harry noticed that man's right hand was heavily bandaged. Realizing where the injuries might come from, Harry felt a twinge of regret for having told his owl to bite the man until he wrote a Harry a decent letter. That had been four days ago, the last time he saw his beloved Snowy Owl. "Where's Hedwig?" Harry asked.

Except for Snape, everyone in the hall seemed suddenly intent on everything except for Harry.

It was the potions professor that broke the silence. "Your bird was a menace. It attacked anyone and everyone in the place. I disposed of her." Snape gave a sick smile of satisfaction.

"You did WHAT?" Harry yelled at the one man he knew whom he hated with a passion, perhaps even as much as the man who killed his parents. Harry was pulling against the restraints Sirius had not yet released.

"I removed the mail-owl enchantments and pitched that bit of foolish puffery out of an open window. Without those enchantments she's just another owl now. That pestilent bird of yours is gone."

"G..g..gone?" Harry asked in shocked disbelief. "And none of you stopped him?" Harry accused, looking between Sirius and Ron.

"The greasy git did it when no one else was around," Fred hissed. Snape bit back a retort.

"Dumbledore was quite angry," George added.

"Fat lot of good that did. Where is she now? How am I going to get her back?" Harry asked, the anger inside building to a new level.

"Who knows Harry," Sirius answered. "Finding her would her would be nearly impossibly and very dangerous, what with Voldemort and his friends running around. For her sake, I hope she's fled London. Not a long life for her kind here," his godfather added sadly.

"And this git is probably telling you-know-how everything that is going on here," Fred threw in. "He'd probably draw the dark wanker a map to your exact whereabouts if you wandered off."

Snape couldn't leave that last comment unchallenged, "Never speak about the Dark Lord in that tone if you know what's good for you, you moronic half-wit."

"Oh, go crawl back to your master," George added, taking half a step towards Snape. Harry had to admit he was rather impressed with how much backbone the twins seemed to be showing.

"That's quite enough out of both of you," Sirius said in interruption. "Harry, even if you were to find her, you couldn't bring Hedwig back to what she was. She wouldn't be your Hedwig. What made her special, her personality, her knowledge of you, that bond you two shared were all permanently removed when the enchantments were removed. If you found her he best you could hope for would be that she'd be just another ordinary mail owl."

"I don't believe it," Harry protested.

"Sorry, Harry, but it's true," Sirius told him.

Snape took the opportunity to twist the knife. "It's your own fault Potter. Your stupid owl wouldn't leave anyone be. If you had trained her right, none of this would have happened. As it was, we couldn't send her back to you because she might have been tracked. Thanks to you we couldn't keep it and we couldn't let it go. The foul beast had to be stopped. Get over it."

Harry was leaking tears now at the loss of the creature he considered his first friend. A low menacing anger filled his voice. "I swear Snape, I'm going to make you pay for this."

"You're pathetic Potter. It's just a stupid bird. Only a stuck-up brat such as yourself would even own such a pompous excuse for an owl. Only the Great Harry Potter would think a regular brown owl or barn owl wasn't good enough for them," the man spat.

Harry's magic flared and finally overwhelmed Sirius' restraints. He launched himself at the professor. Sirius grabbed Harry from behind before the boy was able to reach Snape. In response to Harry's charge, the older man drew his wand and pointed it at Harry, pressing the tip into the struggling teen's chest. "Give me a reason Potter!" Severus Snape hissed menacingly.

Sirius pulled the struggling Harry back. Harry shouted, "Let me go, I'm going to kill him!"

A very calm voice came up to them from the bottom of the stairs. "That will be quite enough from both of you. Severus, put your wand away and come back down to the kitchen immediately." Despite his rage at Snape, Harry realized that this was the first time his Headmaster Albus Dumbledore had spoken to him directly since the night Cedric Diggory died at the end of the Tri-wizard Tournament.

Severus hissed, "Yes Headmaster." He gave Harry one last glare before turning on his heels and heading back down the stairs.

Harry looked down at the headmaster, but the man was gone before Harry had a chance to catch his eye.

Sirius was still physically restraining a struggled Harry. "You need to stop this now. I do not want to restrain you again."

With that Harry's struggles began to subside. "Why should I? I mean, do you honestly believe he did that to Hedwig for any reason other than out of spite. That man's greatest joy is to make my life a living hell."

"There may be some truth to that, but Dumbledore says we need that prick if we're going to defeat Voldemort. I like it no more than you do. Let me remind you I was the one he tried to have kissed. But for now we need to trust Dumbledore. You and I can settle our debts with the man later. We just need to take care of Voldemort first. Now, can I let you go without having to stun you?"

"Yes Sirius," Harry said resignedly.

With a flick of Sirius' wand, a door unlocked and seconds later a brown haired missile struck Harry in the chest, enveloping him in a hug.

"Everyone back to your rooms and let them be," Sirius told the Weasleys.

As his brother's tried to lead him back to their room, Ron remarked to the pair, "Harry's really losing it. Two fights in five minutes. First you two and then Snape. What do you 'spose has gotten into him?"

Fred and George just shook their heads. They figured Ron just didn't have the wit to understand what Harry had been through in the last couple of months. They knew Ron would eventually figure it out. He always did.


	3. Chapter 2  Reconnection

**Chapter 2 – Reconnection**

A lawyer should never ask a witness a question unless they are already sure of the answer.

- anon.

Hermione released Harry from her hug and dragged him by the hand into the room she'd just been freed from. She didn't want Ron, Ginny or any of the other Weasley's interrupting, so she pushed the door shut as soon as they entered the room. They stared at one another seemingly at a loss where to begin until Harry started. He was rubbing tears from his eyes. "You must think me a real prat to be crying over Hedwig like this." He was clearly embarrassed by his own emotional display.

"No Harry, quite the opposite. I'd be disappointed if you weren't upset over her," she told him. "It okay to be sad over a loss like this," she explained.

"I can't believe I'll never see her again," he said, resignation and sadness pouring out at his pronouncement.

Hermione hugged Harry again and he let a few more tears roll down his face. "Harry, you never told me. Was Hedwig you familiar?"

"I don't know. What's a familiar?" Harry asked.

"It's an animal you've magically bonded with. It's an animal who's become much more than a pet. They're more of a magical companion. Familiars take on their bond mate's personality and will be more readily available to help a witch or wizard than any ordinary pet. They tend to be extraordinarily good at their regular tasks. On a fundamental level, there is a higher degree of communication and understanding than with a normal pet. The emotional attachment is considerably stronger too. Magically, a familiar acts as an intermediary for the witch or wizard. After several years, familiars will gladly offer themselves as tools for spellwork and for sharing of magical cores." Hermione was in lecture made at that moment. Despite their anguish he was very impressed with her ability to keep her thoughts well organized at times like this.

"I guess it's possible," Harry answered. "Hedwig and I always seemed to have a rough understanding of what the other was thinking."

"And Hedwig always knew when someone had a letter or package that needed to be delivered to you. That's very unusual," Hermione added.

Harry sighed heavily. "With everything you've said, I guess it's possible she was my familiar. Either way though I'm really going to miss her," Harry said.

"I know if something happened to Crookshanks I'd miss him terribly. There are very few people I care for more than him," she said sympathetically.

"So he's your familiar?" Harry asked. He noticed the half-kneazle had jumped off of Hermione's bed and crossed the room to them and was now walking between their legs, encircling them in a figure eight pattern.

Hermione nodded. "Crooks and I have bonded. Have you had any headaches in the last couple of days? That often happens when a familiar bond is broken."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, but I've had headaches all summer."

"Oh Harry, why's that?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Voldemort. The connection between us is stronger since he's been back. It also feels like he's trying to use it to tell me something. It's like he wants me to see something. It's especially hard when he's feeling strong emotions, especially anger or joy. Headaches usually follow." Harry admitted. "And then there are the nightmares. They don't help either, but I think those are of my own making and not Voldemort's."

"What nightmares?" she asked.

Harry hesitated, but he knew he needed to talk to someone about these. Hermione was the only person he trusted. Still, his gaze had fallen from hers and he was staring off into the distance, unable to meet her eyes. "From the graveyard. I keep asking myself what I could have done differently to keep him alive."

She knew without asking that he was talking about Cedric. "Look here Harry," she said as she grabbed his chin to force him to look her in the eyes, "that's one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. I do not want you feeling like this was in any way your fault. It's all on Voldemort and Pettigrew."

"I should never have insisted that he touch that trophy," he said. "If I hadn't done that, he'd still be here," he explained. In hindsight, he had realized that there had been too many clues that something wasn't right during the final task of the Tri-wizard tournament. Viktor Krum's actions, Harry realized on reflection should have alerted him. Yes, the Bulgarian had wanted to win, but his actions in the maze were beyond what Harry should have expected from a teen who was already a successful professional athlete. Possibly the best Seeker in all of Europe, he would never have risked his professional reputation just to win a stupid school tournament. Krum attacking his competitors should have alerted Harry, he knew, that something was wrong.

"You had no way of knowing that Harry."

"I should have known. Krum was not acting normally. I should have spotted that."

"With the pressure you were under? Fighting for your survival? How could you have?" she explained. "Even I didn't spot that Viktor under the _Imperius_, and I knew him better than you did."

For just a moment, a pang of jealously touched Harry's heart, but Hermione had missed his reaction.

"You could not have known Viktor was being influenced. And you did the honorable thing for Cedric. It's those sick bastards' fault Cedric is dead. Not yours."

Hermione's pointed rant seemed to calm Harry. He sighed and seemed to relax slightly. "You're right. Thanks for reminding me."

Hermione huffed. "How long have you been feeling this way?"

"All summer, Harry told her. "I've… been thinking about Cedric's death a lot."

"Of course you are. What you witnessed, it was horrible. Harry, this summer I've read a bit about how trauma affects people..." Hermione saw a wry smile cross Harry's face when she mentioned her reading habit. "Yes, shocking I know. It may seem hard, but you the best way to get past it is to talk about, what happened and how you feel. I'm here to listen whenever you need me."

"Thanks Hermione." He wasn't quite ready to talk about it, so he mentioned something else that was bothering him. "I've also been worried sick about what Voldemort is going to do next," he allowed.

"I can imagine. I've also wondered what he was up to," she told him.

"f you don't know what was going on, they why didn't he let you talk to me?" he asked her.

Hermione sighed. "That's why I told Dumbledore he was off his rocker and we should have had the chance to talk to you. To really talk to you and not send you those stupid letters Molly dictated to us. I knew you might start blame yourself for Voldemort and we need to be there to make sure you wouldn't."

"Is that why you were so bound and determined to contact me this summer?" Harry asked.

"Yes," she said '_At least that's part of the reason_' she thought to herself.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. I've… felt abandoned this summer," he said.

"I will never abandon you Harry Potter. Do you hear me?" She demanded.

There was an underlying commitment in her statement that Harry did not miss. "I'm sorry I doubted you. I won't make that mistake again," he told her. Looking down, Harry noticed that Hermione had taken his hands in hers in an effort to comfort him. He looked down and then back in her eyes. She gave him a nervous smile that Harry couldn't read. Harry finally broke his stare and finally took in the room Hermione had been staying in. Out of necessity she was given the largest guest room on the floor. They were in a sitting area that had a couch and two large wing-back chairs. A coffee table in the middle of the sitting area was covered with books. To one side was an open door that lead to an private bath. An archway lead to the other half of the room, in which there was a king-sized canopy bed. A pair of end table and three dressers completed the room. Harry was a little surprised to see that the room was a mess. He'd never seen Hermione's room at school, so this had surprised him. he did have to admit though that had he been in her shoes, the room would have been in much worse shape. "Are they really keeping you here against your will?" he asked her.

"I was being rather persistent in my efforts to get to you," she admitted. "They finally had enough and locked me up here."

"Oh," Harry said. "What did you do?"

"Unauthorized letters mostly. They would censor the ones I wrote or destroy them outright because they had 'too much sensitive information' in them. They were watching both the owl and muggle post. Someone in the group has to know more about muggle technology than they are letting on because they blocked me from calling you, and not just from my home. I tried calling from my parent's office, on Mum's cell, a couple pay phones and even from the neighbors. I couldn't get through. Eventually I tried to visit you in Little Whinging. After that failed, I got scared, and stopped trying for bit."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm missing a day," she told him nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a whole day I'm missing. I went to bed on a Wednesday night, and swore to myself I'd go to see you the next morning. When I woke up it was Friday. I have no memories of that Thursday," she said, still scared of what she couldn't remember.

"You think they modified you memory?" Harry asked. It wasn't really a question.

She nodded and elaborated on what had happened. "I guess I was a bit off at home. Mum noticed and we had a long talk. She found out how hard I had been trying to reach you and she promised to help. I guess she didn't really know what I was up against. She only knew how badly I wanted to talk to you. We were going to drive to your Aunt's house. I guess we never made it. Don't know how, but I woke up, couldn't remember the day at all and Mum only remembers going to work like usual."

Harry was aghast at this assault on his friend and her mother. "What did you do?"

"I did what they told me too and let it drop, at least for a week. Mum noticed me getting all worked up again and told me I needed to do something about it since I was driving her spare. I don't know what she had in mind, but I tried to get to you again. It was by train this time, and I went by myself. I figured since I was magical, I'd stand a better chance than Mum did. I guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Practically the next thing I knew I was back here."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"A handful of people from the Order snatched me at Paddington Station. I know I saw at least three of them. They got me while I was transferring to the tube to get to Waterloo. They dragged me here, Professor Dumbledore took my wand, and then put me up here. I had the run of the place for a couple of hours, but made a break for it when they let down their guard. Next thing I knew I was locked in here and they wouldn't let me out."

"Why didn't you do what they told you? I never wanted you locked up don't want you stuck here." Harry's voice was tinged with both anger and guilt.

"They told me to lie to you. They told me to leave you alone. I couldn't do that to a friend. Not when I knew you needed a friend what with everything that's happened. I could never turn my back on you," Hermione pleaded.

"I'm sorry they did this to you because of me. What… what do your parents think?"

"I shudder to think. Mum might have disowned me by now." Hermione took a deep breath and released it. "Mum and I spoke at the start of the summer. She accused me of cutting her and Dad out of my life. She told me that I've spent too much time apart from them. I write her at least once a week but it's not really the same. It like we're drifting apart. We get only so much time away from school and I'm away from them for more and more of that. She said I've missed too many holidays. She was really hurt I had to spend so much of the Christmas holidays at school because of the Yule Ball."

Harry of course had not considered that. "Now that I think about it, it was pretty insensitive of the school to pull everyone from their families for that dance during the break. Why couldn't they have done it before the break?"

Hermione nodded. "She'd reached the same conclusion. Mum also said I've missed too many Easters. She's was afraid I'm going to start running off to my friends for half the summer now. She said she wanted me to put her and Dad first this year, before I got too much older and left for good. I promised them I'd spend the summer at home, with maybe only a couple of day trips to you and the Weasleys." The last was said in a single stream of words as tears began to form in her eyes.

Harry reached over and gave his friend a hug, knowing she needed it as badly now as he had earlier. "Do you parents know where you are? Do they have any idea you'd rather be with them?" Harry asked as he released her.

Hermione shook her head. "After they picked me up off of the street, they made me write mum a letter saying the Order really needed my help with an important project and that I wanted to say here the rest of the holidays. They've got to be really angry and disappointed in me. The way Molly made me write it, it sounded like they weren't important to me at all."

"Molly was responsible for it?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Ever since I got here, Molly has written every letter I sent to you or them. She made me copy them in my own handwriting so you wouldn't know, but they said exactly what she wanted them to."

"I thought your letters were off. I swear to you we'll get this straightened and you'll spend the rest of break at home with them."

"You think they'll let me go?" she asked.

"Sirius has as good as promised that they'll let you go home. If not well destroy this place from the inside," he said with a smile. She gave a soft laugh in response. "And just to make sure you're okay, when you get home, you'll write me every day to let me know you're safe, Okay?"

Hermione nodded, although right now she couldn't think of a story she could tell her mum explaining her absence which wouldn't either confirm her worst fears about Hermione drifting away or lead her Mum to try and talk her into leaving the magical world. Hermione had, after all, been kidnapped by the good guys.

"You should report them," he suggested.

"To who?" she asked. It was something she'd already considered."

"The Ministry. Kidnapping has to be illegal."

"And how do I contact them? I have no floo. I have no idea where the Ministry is located and I don't think they're in the phone book," she said, exasperated in the position she had found herself in. She had no one she could trust. "And if I try, how do I know they're not watching me and intercepting my mail again."

Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe Hermione had been trapped like this. That they had apparently scared her so badly she wouldn't act was even more disturbing. "Did they do anything else to you while you were here?" Harry asked.

Hermione snorted. "When I arrived, Molly cast a compulsion spell so I would be more interested in Ron. Perhaps she figured if he was my boyfriend I'd be easier to control."

"WHAT?" Harry yelped in shock. "You're not in love with Ron now, are you?"

Hermione gave a derisive laugh. "Not in the least. The spell didn't do anything. Unless you're using a really powerful love potion or dark magic, you can't make anyone fall in love. Most such common potions and spells only enhance existing feelings. Since I have absolutely no romantic feelings for Ron, it didn't do anything." Hermione actually snickered. "I mean really, Ron and me? Can you picture it, the way we're always fighting? It would be a nightmare." For once since the conversion had begun Hermione let out a real laugh.

"Is that why he's so out of sorts?" Harry asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ron was acting kind of strange ever since I arrived. Like he was angry at me or worried I'd do something bad."

Hermione paused to think. "I hadn't given it much thought, but now that you mentioned it, he did seem out of sorts ever since I got here."

"Like he has a crush on you maybe?" Harry said, almost teasing.

"No. It's like he knows something no one else does and he's feeling pretty smug about it. He's also not acting like you would have though towards Percy. Have you heard about him?"

"No," Harry answered. Last time Harry saw him, Percy was filling in for his missing boss during the tournament.

"He got a job working directly for Fudge. I've hear the entire Weasley family arguing about it every day."

"I thought your door was silenced," Harry said.

"It's one way only. I can hear what is going on outside, but they can't hear me. They kind of forget that I'm here for the most part, so I hear them talking all the time. The Wesley's think Fudge only gave Percy this promotion so he could act as a spy on the family and by extension Dumbledore. From what I've overheard that did not go over well with the newest Junior Minister. Percy cut himself off from the family as a whole. He was badmouthing Arthur at work last week and it got back to his Dad. Whenever Percy gets mentioned, everyone goes spare. Everyone except for Ron. You know how Ron was never really a big fan of Percy? Well now he is. Ron's sticking up for him every time someone says something bad about him."

Harry agreed that this seemed strange. While Percy hadn't pranked him at the time like the twins had, Ron had not been too kind about his older brother the prior summer when Percy had become Head Boy.

Harry and Hermione had been talking for hour. Her room had a big picture window that provided the room with light from the lights home's garden. Those outdoor lights must have been on a timer of some sort, because they had begun to go out. This caused her room to get much darker.

Now the only light in the room was from the fire place and a single oil lamp on an end table. "Oh blast it," Hermione said. "You would think I would merit some lighting in this place. Kreature!" she shouted, but got no response. She sighed. "All of the lights in here only respond to magic. Without my wand, I can't light them. The miserable excuse for a house elf that came with this place usually ignores me although he's been ordered to turn on the lights when I ask." Harry stated to pull out his wand and she stopped him. "Best not to use magic, especially for something as routine a this," she told him.

Although Harry was feeling rather rebellious at that moment, he knew Hermione was right about his avoiding using magic. "I'm going to see where Sirius is with your wand. He should have had it up here by now." Harry told his friend.

"It's okay, Harry. Let them finish their meeting first."

"No. He said he was bringing it right back, and I'm holding him to his word. If they won't be good true to their word to me either, I want to know now. We still need to figure out how to get you back to your parents and that is the bigger task. I have the feeling they're planning on going back on that promise, and you ARE going back to you parents"

Hermione tried to stop Harry. "Sirius doesn't even have it," she reminded Harry, "Dumbledore does."

Harry Confronts the Order About Hermione's Captivity

This set Harry off. He was tired of the man ignoring him all summer. Now clearly he was the one ultimately responsible to taking Hermione prisoner. Sidestepping Hermione, he rushed out the door. Harry was thundering down the stairs, taking them at two at a stride. "Then _he_ can answer for it. And I will not have him ignore me now ," Harry said to his friend who was rushing to keep up. In the time Harry had reached the lowest floor in the house downstairs, his anger had returned to full bloom. He flew through the door and drew his wand. He'd been ignored by the man all summer. Apparently the man had seen fit to interfere with Harry's friendships, which now that he thought on it, had made Harry even angrier.

"We were promised Hermione's wand," Harry said as his own was pointed at the chest of the old headmaster. "I understand you have it. Since you lot have already gone back to me on your word to return it, I'll take it now and we're leaving."

Several people gasp or spoke at once. "Harry!" said a shocked Arthur Weasley.

"How dare you draw on Albus!" shouted an equally shocked Elphias Doge.

Dumbledore though seemed to have his eyes closed in relaxed contemplation.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry spotted a rapid movement from a figure dressed all in black. Harry heard the oily words of Severus Snape "You have this coming you insolent brat!" Out of reflexes honed through years of Quidditch practices, Harry ducked just in time to avoid a curse from the man.

Too late, Harry heard the headmaster shout, "Severus, NO!"

As Harry was diving to the ground, he heard another man scream in pain. That man's head erupted in a spray of blood. As Harry landed on the ground, a large purple top hat landed next to him. With that cue, several things seemed to happen all at once. A witch, who Harry would later realize was the Hogwarts School Nurse, Madam Pomfrey, dove towards the injured man. Several people jumped to their feet and wands appeared in their hands. Harry checked for Hermione. With the outbreak of spellfire, the unarmed Hermione let out an audible "eep!" and dove out of the room, and then peaked back inside. At the same time Ron had come sprinting in, having heard footsteps coming down the stairs and thinking that dinner was on order. As Ron entered, the room erupted with spell fire, much of it apparently directed at Severus Snape. Harry heard the distinctive gong of spells hitting a strong shield.

Someone, a wizard Harry didn't recognize, fell to the floor. He was unarmed and seemed to have been hit by a deflected curse.

Sirius bellowed in rage and he took up the charge against Snape.

Harry was at on odd angle relative to where Snape was standing and the dinner table was between the prone Harry and the standing man's torso. This made casting a spell at the man a bad choice, especially given how quickly Snape shuffled his feet while fighting. His shield was also effective at blocking all incoming spellfire. A side table, which had been set for dinner was struck with another deflected curse and toppled over, dumping its contents across the room's floor. A large heavy cauldron filled with stew landed with a clang and rolled next to Harry, spilling food along the way. He grabbed it and from his position under the dining room table, heaved it at the legs of the man he presumed was Snape. Harry's aim was off, and the fifteen pound cauldron hit the leg of a witch wearing and old flower-print dress. He heard her leg crack and saw her go down in pain. He knew at once it had been Mrs. Weasley he had accidently hit.

Harry grudgingly had to hand it to his old potions master, although he was significantly outnumbered, he was holding his own. Harry, from his hidden position under the table drew a bead on Severus legs with his wand, hoping for a chance at a lucky shot. As he was about to cast, he heard a sound like a cannon shot and the amplified voice of Albus Dumbledore who shouted, "CEASE FIRING AT ONCE." There was something magical in the man's command that forced everyone to obey. "Wands away!" Dumbledore shouted, but without the magical command behind his words. Harry did not pocket his wand.

Harry quickly rose to his feet and aimed his wand back at the Headmaster while surveying the damage. Snape's robes were torn and he appeared to be bleeding slightly. The pair of Aurors he'd met at Privet Drive earlier that evening, Tonks and Shacklebolt, appeared to be confused about what they were supposed to be doing. Remus Lupin was holding his wand arm to his chest like it was broken. Another witch had a cut on her cheek. The only person not frozen in place was Madam Pomfrey, who was working feverishly on the injured wizard who was the victim of the first spell Severus had cast. A spell, Harry reminded himself that the man had direct at him. She quickly levitated the injured man, who Harry now recognized as Dedalus Diggle and headed to the floo. "I'm afraid his left eye is a loss, but if I can get him to St. Mungo's, I should be able to save the rest of him. Sirius, unlock the floo."

The man with the long shaggy black hair who still had his wand pointed at Snape, quickly crossed the room and met the nurse at the room's medium sized fire place and did as she asked. Harry looked at Diggle as he floated by. The man was a bloody mess. Two large gashes covered his face. Harry was shaken by the damage Snape had done to the man. It could have been him.

Harry looked at the potion master with a venomous stare that he hoped promised the man a great deal of pain. After a few seconds during which Harry heard Hermione's shuffling feet behind him, he spoke again to the Dumbledore. His voice was icy cold, "Her wand please."

"And then what?" Dumbledore asked calmly. He seemed to be focused on Snape rather than Harry.

"We're leaving." Harry answered coolly.

"You travel at great risk at night Harry," Arthur Weasley pointed out. "Besides it's after 11. Her parents are likely in bed already."

"Then we'll be upstairs until morning when I will be escorting Hermione back to her parents."

"We can't allow that Mr. Potter. It's too dangerous for you at her house," Dumbledore answered.

"So you've left the Grangers exposed?" Harry hissed.

"Not at all. They're under guard," Albus said calmly. "The Grangers have protection, but you would draw too much attention to them. It's not safe for them to have you there."

"Does that guard include the incompetent git who buggered-off to buy a load of stolen cauldrons while he was on duty at my Aunt's house four days ago to?"

A whimpering sound came from the corner of the room from what Harry had previously assumed to be a pile of discarded rags.

Dumbledore ignored the offended wizard hiding in the corner and looked over at the man Harry had been introduced to earlier tonight by the name of Kingsley Shacklebolt and then back to Harry. "With you here now, we can increase the Grangers' guard."

Harry noticed a few of the people in the room didn't seem too excited by the idea of more guard duty. He didn't particularly have much confidence in these people either. Harry considered for a moment who in the room he did trust. "Professor Lupin, are there any professional magical security firms that could be hired for the task?

"The Order can handle their protection Harry," Remus assured him after quickly glancing towards Dumbledore.

"No. I don't think so. I suspect I'm the higher priority amongst you lot and even then you were hardly up to the task." Harry pointed at the stack of rags he had assumed was Mundungus. "If you are asking that gormless buffoon to protect me, you have serious competency issues. Anyone else have any suggestions for protecting the Grangers before _I_ take up guard duty?"

After a few moments of silence Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up. "Gringotts offers protection services. I've seen Miss Granger's home. A team of four Goblins would be up to the task, especially if they are charged primarily with personal protection." The tall man turned slightly, "They'll be unnoticed by you or your family Miss Granger."

Dumbledore blanched at this prospect. Hiring the Goblins was beyond the fiscal means of the Order. Few, if any Order members had any real wealth. He could not help either. He personally had never been one to amass any real savings. Headmasters were not the most highly paid people in the wizarding world. In fact, with his mastery and side ventures, Severus earned more than he did. The Chief Warlock position with the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump position with International Confederation of Wizards were both unpaid. He'd never saved any of what he earned. His retirement plan, so as it was, involved his unpublished memoirs. The main problem there was that they were, as of yet, unwritten. He was waiting until Voldemort was gone for good when such a book would be best received until he played that card. That, he was sure would provide for the basis of a comfortable retirement. Another problem with hiring the goblins was that, although no one knew it, the goblins were not overly fond of the man. Their embarrassment over the break in at the school's bank vault that had previously held the Sorcerer's Stone a few years back had not abated. In logic the old man didn't fully appreciate, the Goblin nation shifted some of the blame for that to the old headmaster. Dumbledore knew that if he tried to hire the Goblins, they'd stick it to him with the cost. He simply couldn't afford it. Now, he dearly wished to safe face. The best way would be to convince Harry that he knew best. "I'm afraid not Harry. The Order doesn't have the luxury of providing anyone protection in excess of their needs."

"I'll pay for it," Sirius interrupted.

Harry knew immediately his godfather was trying to buy his way back into Harry's good graces. Things between them had been very chilly ever since Harry discovered that Sirius had played a part in imprisoning Hermione. This offer was hardly enough to buy the man out of trouble with Harry, but the boy valued Hermione's safety over saving face with Sirius. "Agreed. Set it up first thing in the morning. Hermione and I will leave for her home an hour after the bank opens."

Sirius sighed. "No Harry, Dumbledore is right. You can't go. You'll attract too much attention, even with a Goblin guard. Please consider that the Grangers will most assuredly be safer if you're not there. You need to stay here."

Deep down, he knew Sirius was right. He just didn't have to like it. "FINE! I'll stay here, but under three conditions."

"Which are?" Dumbledore asked.

"First, Hermione has her wand in her hands by the count of ten. Second, Severus leaves these premises and does not return at any time while I am here over the summer…"

"Who do you think you are Potter?" the potions master bellowed in interruption.

Sirius cut off his rant "Actually, I think that is a capital idea. I've also tired of your company and this is my home."

Snape cut him off, "Which you have provided to the Order for our business. After all it is the one thing you've been able to do that is any help at all." Snape's sneer was at an all time high.

"That changes nothing. This is my house and you are not welcome here," Sirius told the man.

The man looked defiantly at Dumbledore. The old man gave his potions professor a tired look. "Meet me in my office in an hour Severus."

With that dismissal, Snape turned and marched to the door, his cape bellowing behind him.

As the man was leaving, Harry turned to Kingsley. "I thought you were an Auror. Aren't you going to arrest him for what he did to Mr. Diggle? He seems to have lost an eye in an unprovoked attack after all."

The tall black wizards seemed taken aback by the suggestion and didn't immediately answer. Snape froze in place, his back to the room. He seemed to be flexing his fingers.

Remus spoke up. "He's too important to us as a spy Harry."

Sirius continued, "Merlin knows that one day he might even provide us with the meanest morsel of useful information."

Harry had the distinct impression that this was a matter that had been discussed before as Snape tensed.

Dumbledore must also have noticed Snape's change in posture. "Leave now Severus," he added, before the confrontation could escalate further.

Apparently though, Kingsley decided his position wasn't what he wished it to be. He shouted after the retreating man. "Pray Dingle lives Severus. If not, I'll swear out an arrest warrant myself."

"And I'll be the one to execute it." Moody threw in. Harry realized the old Auror, whom he had earlier believed had gone a bit round the bend, was looking distinctly unhappy about Snape behavior. Rushed footsteps and a slamming door confirmed Snape's departure.

With which Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "And Hermione's wand?"

"It's safe in my office at Hogwarts. I will retrieve it as quickly as I am able once we have concluded our business here. You have my word that it will be here before she departs in the morning. Is that acceptable?" Once again Dumbledore seemed to have his eyes closed in contemplation.

Harry was about to say no, but turned to Hermione instead. She nodded at him.

"That will be fine. But if it isn't here, I will be leaving with her," Harry answered "Oh, and there was one more thing. I want you to explain to me what the hell has been going on over the last month and a half. I don't appreciate being left in the dark." Harry said angrily.

"Sirius can fill you in on everything in the morning," Dumbledore offered, looking at Harry's Godfather.

"You seem to be in charge here. I want to hear it from you," Harry answered back. Harry could tell a few people in the room were offended by Harry's attitude. He also observed that Dumbledore himself looked slightly nervous.

"I'll make some time Mr. Potter, but not until after your hearing. I have quite a few things that need to be in place before that event."

With that, Emilie Vance, a witch Harry had met earlier that night in Privet Drive spoke up. "Speaking of Harry's hearing for the use of underage mage, perhaps it's time for Harry to surrender his wand. The last thing we need is for him to give the Committee any more ammunition.

Harry gave the woman a glare that promised death. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked.

"That won't be necessary," Dumbledore said to Emily in a clamming tone. "I do not believe, despite having drawn his wand several times this evening, that Mr. Potter has cast any spells. Isn't that correct, Harry?"

Harry paused before answering, reflecting on the events of the last several hours. He in fact had not done any magic. "Yes… sir. I believe so."

"Very well. Please put you wand away and continue to exercise your commendable restraint." Harry wasn't real pleased with the man's condescending tone, but he tucked his wand in his pants anyway. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Mr. Potter, we now have a considerable bit more of business to attend to this evening than when you first arrived. I think it best we proceed."

Harry turned on his heels and headed to the door, reaching for Hermione's arm to lead her along as he passed her. Only as he was leaving, did Harry realize that never once hand the Dumbledore looked him in the eye. As Harry walked out, the room was deathly quiet, with only moan from Molly Weasley. Hestia Jones was now tending to the woman's shattered leg.

As Harry was half way up the first flight of stairs, Ron finally broke the silence. Until now he'd been staring ashen face at his injured mother. "Speaking of arrests, isn't anyone going to arrest Harry for what he did to mum?" 'Where in the world did that come from' Harry thought to himself as he reached the landing a top the stairs. By then Arthur Weasley's response to his son was unintelligible.

# # # (A/N begins here)

The door to the small grey room on the Auror's offices slammed open. A grizzled old man with one leg and a hideously scarred face walked into the room. The magical eye the man had focused unblinkingly on the room's sole occupant. Without introduction he newcomer began "I take it you'd have charges pressed for attempted murder against the man."

Mr. Harmonious Magic seemed surprised at the sudden entrance of the most feared Auror currently on the Ministry's payroll. The scribe barely managed to sputter, "You mean Professor Snape?"

The Auror grunted at this. "It's your story. Please try and keep up with the plot. Yes, Snape."

"Not necessarily attempted murder. Potter dodged the spell unexpectedly. If he hadn't moved I would think Snape would have gone for an ear. I believe the official scribe suggested he'd done just that to George Weasley. Diggle just got it worse than he'd intended. Perhaps something along the lines of reckless endangerment?"

"Based n what you've shown, perhaps that's fair enough. But your overall premise is flawed. I very much doubt that he was even capable of such a rash act. He's much too calculating," the old Auror suggested.

"I disagree. In his mind he's the number two figure in the Order. He's successfully working both sides of the coin, having been accepted back by Voldemort. He _knows_ charges against him could never be pressed. Dumbledore would lose his spy if such an attack came to public light, especially in the case of a trial. Snape would take any means to defend himself and such a defense would certainly reveal the Order to the public. Snape knows Dumbledore would act to prevent that by once again protecting his pet Death Eater. I'm also trying to show that the man is beginning to slip his leach."

"I disagree. You've gone a step too far. On the other hand, I'm also a bit tired of all this chit-chat. At least the action, the little of it you managed to provide, is long overdue."

The scribe cringed. There wasn't a whole lot of action in the coming chapters either. Alastor noticed this. "We're not done yet with all the chatter yet, are we?"

"No. But I can a least promise that I'll finish up with the events of August 6th in the next chapter."

The old Auror pulled another roll of parchment from the file and began to read it. The title on the top of the page was Chapter 3. He growled, "I didn't ask to read this. Was ordered too, and frankly I have better things to do with my time. This had better not put me to sleep." the old man groused as his eyes moved over the page.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for in there," the scribe asked, pointing to the next chapter of his story.

Alastor lost his place and glared at the man. He stood abruptly and made for the door. "I'm going back to my office where I can read in peace. Do try and go anywhere," he warned before slamming the door on his way out.

Harmonious Magic slumped in his chair. He was going to be here a while. Realizing he could use this time productively he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a large brass inkpot, a roll of parchment and a three foot long peacock feather. He always carried the ornate feather in case he was asked for his autograph. He did hate the fact that whenever his wife saw the thing she had to remind him he'd never actually eve been asked for an autograph. 'Never hurts to be prepared', was his standard reply. He uncapped the inkpot and tore off a few inches of parchment. Dipping he quill, he began to write.

_Dear Reader_

_Thank you for your review of Chapter 1 of "Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant"_

_There seems to be some understandable confusion about the last section of that chapter. Everything that appears following the three pound signs (# # #) is just a device for delivering author's notes. I was trying to be cute with how I initially presented this device, but in the end I simply didn't explain this clearly enough._

_That section could be viewed as a separate story from the main story that takes place in its own rather warped universe. You are absolutely correct the character Harmonious Magic is a blatant "Larry-Sue." Rest assured that nothing that appears in those notes will have any impact on the main the story "Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant." Mr. Magic will not even be making a cameo in the main story. Perhaps I should be publishing those notes in a separate story entitled "Harmonious Magic and the Tale of 'Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant'."_

_You are perhaps correct that parts of the main story are cliché. I my defense, there are roughly half a million Potter fanfictions on this site alone and true originality is difficult to achieve._

_I will tell you that if you didn't like chapter one, you're not going to be too happy with chapter two through four chapters either. They mostly explore recent events and preexisting relationships in a different light. The story really kicks off after that._

_Respectfully Yours,_

_Harmonious Magic_

Harmonious carefully folded the note and pulled a tapper red self-igniting candle from his pocket. Reaching in again he pulled out a stamp. He blew on the blackened wick of the candle and a flame came to life. He carefully melted the red wax onto the note where the parchment folds met. When he had a 1 inch wide pool of wax, he blew on the candle again and it went out. He picked up the stamp and pressed it into the wax creating a seal with the initials HM intertwined. He gave the wax a minute to harden before he addressed the note. He hopped he'd get access to a post owl soon. Expecting Mood back any time soon, he pocked the note, the candle, the stamp, the ink bottle which he'd already stoppered and lastly the garish green and purple quill. He wondered just what Moody was looking for in his story.


	4. Chapter 3   and a Deeper Connection

**Chapter 3 – ... and a Deeper Connection**

No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

- Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, as paraphrased by Correlli Barnett

February 24: it was a date that had seared itself into Hermione's memory. She knew the time of day, within a minute or so: 10:30 a.m. That was when she learned 'the truth'.

Until that very minute she had tried to maintain a fiction, more to herself than anyone else, that she was interested in Viktor Krum. The young man was, after all, incredibly handsome. Her physical attraction towards him was hardly faked. But she could never allow herself to elevate their awkward platonic friendship to a romantic level. Now several months later she knew there were two reasons for this. The first and perhaps the more obvious one was that she was daunted by their age difference. The internationally famous Quidditch star was three and a half years her senior, and no doubt more than somewhat experienced with girls. She was, although she hated the idea of it, even more innocent than many girls her age. While thanks to her Mum and to a lesser degree, the school nurse, she knew the technical aspects of what men and women were supposed to do together, she didn't really understand any of it. This was especially true of the binary interaction of emotional attachment to the physical acts of love. While it may be true that at times the saying "Gryffindor's charge ahead' applied to Hermione, this would clearly not be the case in advancing a romantic relationship. Because of this, she knew that if she would even have been able to entice Viktor into becoming her boyfriend, it would have moved at much too fast a pace for her. World famous seventeen, almost eighteen year-old boys don't have near the patience to go at a pace she would have been conformable with. This fact though, was not anything new to her and even on that cold morning last February she was fully well aware of 'the age problem'.

But it was that day, that morning, that very minute that she was finally faced with the second reason she could never have been Viktor's boyfriend. For that was when she learned that her heart belonged to another. At that moment, when two boys she cared for were competing in a ridiculously dangerous task as part of the Tri-wizard Tournament, she found there was well and truly only one wizard whom she was obsessively concerned about. That wizard was decidedly not Victor Krum.

During the entirety of the task she was fully aware what was happening while she in the Mervillage despite being a hostage. She was at best, she would later learn, the third or fourth choice for the position of 'thing Viktor would miss the most.' From the clue in the dragon egg, Viktor and the Krum family had sussed out that someone close to the young man would be taken to the bottom of Black Lake for that task. Two girls from Durmstrang he had dated within the last year and his younger brother were all whisked back to their school a few days before the task was scheduled. Another girl Viktor had spent some of his free time with was considered the next most likely candidate for becoming his hostage. She had been warned in advance of the task, her potential role in it and she had agreed to participate in exchange for a purse containing a couple hundred Galleons. Unfortunately around midnight the night before the task she got cold feet, snuck off the ship and ran straight for the school's gates. She was last seen at the Hogshead Bar opening a floo for home. So instead of her as Viktor's hostage, Hermione found herself being dragged into the Headmaster's office at three a.m. with an equally confused Ron Weasley, a brassed off Cho Chang and an absolutely terrified 11 year old French girl who apparently had no clue what was going in. With almost no explanation, the next thing Hermione knew was that she had a charm cast on her and was tethered to rock at the bottom of Black Lake by a group of frightening looking Merpeople. After the initial fear of drowning passed, Hermione spent several hours staving off boredom and some very painful cramps in her arms and legs. Eventually a troop of half dozen or so Mermen warriors came out and surrounded the four hostages.

Forty-five minutes later, Harry was the first to arrive in the village. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Hermione still found Harry's reaction upon reaching the village quite funny. The boy was completely confused as to who he was supposed to rescue. He initially made a move to her when he realized who the hostages were. While the Mermen tried to point Harry towards Ron, Harry resisted. He was still trying to reach her when Cedric came and went with Cho. Things were getting more serious when she saw the warriors threaten Harry with their tridents as he moved towards Hermione again. The matter was finally decided when the partially transformed Viktor Krum swam past Harry and the guards, bit dangerously close to her feet in severing her tethers and dragged Hermione back to the surface.

When she reached the surface, she was promptly placed on a floating dock. Her focus remained on the Lake, even if she was now unable to see what was going on. Although Viktor could have been seriously injured because of the partially failed human/shark transformation, she never gave him another thought. Her eyes never left the surface of the lake. When Harry finally did make it back to the surface minute later with two more hostages in tow, her relief at his safe return and her priorities during those few short minutes that finally told her exactly what he meant to her. She knew then that at that moment Harry was the entirety her world.

It was a realization that broke her heart. That was because there was an obstacle to their having a deeper relationship. Simply, she knew that he didn't think about her the same way she did him. For weeks after that she looked for clues proving this wrong. She examined possible hints and the signs. There never was one. He only thought of her as his friend. Hell, he even told Viktor exactly that! Despondent, she accepted this fate and put on a brave face for the spring term.

By the time she returned home that June Hermione was in a right state. Her mother noticed this right away. At first her mum believed that for the most part it was because of the events of the night of the third task. As per usual, Hermione and her mom spent much of the first day of summer break discussing the events of the school year. For once, because Hermione had not been personally involved in many of the dangerous events of the year, she was more detailed than usual in her explanations, especially with regards to the final task and the nightmare that followed. Her mum was frankly appalled by what Harry had gone though. She had heard about the dragons from the first task over Christmas break. She could hardly believe that things would be this much worse for the boy during the third task, but then the side trip to Little Hangleton had occurred. Helen Granger had thought that their discussion would be cathartic for her daughter. But they were not. A week later, Hermione was as agitated as ever. They spoke again, and the hyper-persistent Helen Granger finally got the truth out of her daughter. Hermione was having very serious difficulties coming to grips with her feelings for her best friend, especially as she did not think her affections were returned. The two talked for many hours and Helen eventually convinced Hermione that she should open up to Harry and discuss her feeling with him.

Still Hermione decided there would need to be conditions to any relationship with Harry. As deeply as she cared for him, and she realized she probably was in love with the boy, they had their problems too. She knew she couldn't change him much, and didn't really want to, but there were a couple things he needed to work on. First, Harry often had his mind made up in advance on matters and refused to consider anyone else's ideas. That needed to change. He needed to at least hear her out with an open mind. She knew he respected her. He just needed him to take an extra step some times and listen to her in the heat of the moment. And perhaps more important, he needed to reign in his temper. He usually wasn't all that bad in this area. Ron was much worse for example. But when he got really, genuinely angry, he could be frightening. She didn't want to be afraid of her boyfriend. That had to change she decided.

It was with these thoughts in mind she had spent the summer looking forward to being able to speak with Harry about their relationship. It was only as the summer passed and the communications blackout remained in place, that she began once more to doubt her convictions in this matter.

oOoOo

Returning to her room in Grimmauld place with Harry after Snape's attack and the confrontation with Professor Dumbledore, Hermione realized she had been wrong to object to his occasional bouts of anger. So many people who should have been looking out for Harry seemed bent on either abusing that responsibility or neglecting to consider Harry's needs. She boggled at the fact that a Professor had just attacked him. That behavior was outrageous, even when measured by Professor Snape's usual standard of mistreatment of her friend. Very quickly she knew she was wrong about her objections to Harry's expressions of anger. No one in their right mind would have gone through what that boy did without occupationally erupting.

What pleased her though was this had all taken place over how she had been treated by these people and not on his own behalf. If he did that for her, surely he could care for her, she reasoned. As soon as they were back in her room, Hermione once again kicked the door shut and then wrapped her arms around Harry. "Thank you Harry," she told him as she hugged him for the third time that evening.

He stiffened in response. "Where did that come from?" the slightly confused boy asked.

"For standing up to Dumbledore on my behalf," he told him.

"It was nothing. They had no right doing what they did to you," he said firmly. "So let me have. Tell me I'm, a fool for overreacting," he said sheepishly.

"I don't think you did much wrong. Although I do have to ask if you think drawing your wand on Professor Dumbledore really the best idea?" she asked.

"No. That's wasn't really the best of ideas, was it?" he said.

She decided to sidestep the question with one of her own. "What were you planning to cast anyway?" There was a bit of an accusation in her voice.

"Nothing. Not that I would have been able to hit him with a spell anyway. He is Dumbledore afterall. I just wanted to make a point how upset I was over this whole situation. Like I said, not the best idea I've ever had?"

"And what about earlier tonight when you pulled your wand on Snape in the hallway?"

Harry didn't have a good response for this. He really did want to hex the man at that moment but was so angry he couldn't decide what spell to use. Now that he thought about it, he wished he had cast a good stinging hex on the man. Harry shrugged noncommittally.

"Harry, you have every right to be angry and I don't blame you for reacting this way. We both are being treated rather badly. If he had harmed Crookshanks I would likely have done him some harm, but I want you to be careful. He's much more experienced than we are. He's shown he wants to hurt you and he knows enough dark magic to do it and make it permanent. And you saw him fighting tonight. He can certainly defend himself."

"Actually I missed most of it from my spot under the dining room table."

"You didn't miss much. Sirius and another wizard I didn't know fired a hand full of spells at the man. Not one of themhit him. Moody seemed to be shielding the bystanders, protecting them from deflected curses. Everyone else seemed to be standing around figuring out what to do. Snape cursed Lupin before he even drew a wand and then looked like he was mostly shielding the rest of the time. Snape was fast though."

"I'll be more careful around him."

"That's all I ask." She paused a moment and thought about what the man had done of Detuilous Diggle. It could well be Harry fighting for his life at St. Mungo's right now. The greasy git had no right to do that. Her voice hardened as she continued "And when you finally settle things with man, I want to be there with you. You just need to be smart about what you do. You do know that sometimes you're about a subtle as a brick?"

Harry laughed. "You're suggesting a hex in the back is just as effective as one to the chest?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a small smile either. "I think timing is the more important consideration. Don't do it when he has the advantage. Or has the chance to get even."

Harry nodded in agreement, a frown on his face. "Which means, not when we're back at Hogwarts."

She sighed and pulled back a few inches from him. Even if he was still upset and angry at most everyone, now was the time, she decided. At least she'd taken the worst edge off of his anger. She spoke softly but with a firm determination. "Harry, I know this probably isn't the best time, but there is something I need to tell you."

Harry's heart sank. He knew that tone. He'd heard it often enough with the soaps his Aunt watched during the day. Hermione had been gone for a week at the start of July and he had suspected she had gone to Bulgaria to visit Krum after all. Somehow, the thought of that made him feel queasy. She had paused, apparently considering her wording. "Go ahead. What do you need to tell me?" he asked.

Now she pulled completely away from him. Even Harry caught the symbolism in this. "I'm…" Hermione looked down at her shoes. She couldn't finish her sentence. Rethinking what she was about to say she tried again "I had a long talk with my Mum at the start of the summer and she helped me realize some things. Seeing you fight for me reminded me of what mum and I had discussed. I was going to write but this wasn't something I could put in a letter that I knew the Order was going to screen and censor."

Harry was confused. This wasn't going quite in the direction he expected. He suddenly considered the possibility that perhaps she wasn't secretly still with Krum, which is what he had worried about much of the summer. "We'll you have me now. What is it?" he prompted. She was terrified. Harry saw it in her eyes. He'd caught her face for just a moment when Snape was fighting half of the Order just minutes earlier. She hadn't betrayed a moment of fear. Despite being wandless, she seemed to be looking for a way to help. Now she had the look of a little lost child in her eyes. "It's okay, you can tell me," he suggested.

Suddenly she seemed to find her courage. Looking up, she stared straight into his eyes. "I'm… I'm in love with you."

For a moment he was frozen in shock. Then Harry felt his knees buckle. He could not believe that he was hearing those words. Words he had never expected to hear, and certainly not from this witch whom he cared for deeply. Very quickly a smile a mile wide broke on Harry's face and he pulled his friend into a tight hug. It was only the second time he'd ever initiated a hug with the young woman and she pulled him tight to her in response. As they held one another, Harry whispered into her ear, "You're much braver than I am. There was something along the same lines that I wanted to say you and I've spent half the summer trying to figure out how to start. I'm not sure how I would ever have summoned up the courage. Now you've made it much easier for me." He paused for a moment then continued. "Hermione, will you be my girlfriend?"

She didn't answer. Instead Harry felt her hug tighten even further as she seemed to nod rapidly several times. They continued to hold each other for several minutes as if afraid to let go of one another. When they finally did part, their hands found one another and they both beamed. Harry saw tears in her eyes, but from her smile, he knew they were happy tears, which caused the boy to tear up too.

Cheekily, with a voice still quaking from emotion he continued "I didn't quite get your answer there. Will you be my girlfriend?" She nodded again and gave him a demure smile which quickly turned wicked. In throaty voice that was barely above a whisper she said, "Bloody right I will!" She lunged at him, attacking his lips with her own. At first Harry was in shock at her kiss and the aggressiveness of it, but very soon he was returning her affection. The kiss wasn't what he expected. There was nothing shy or demure about it as he would expect from a first kiss. It was filled with passion. There was hunger and neediness in the kiss. He quickly returned her kiss. After nearly a minute they broke apart and Hermione began to giggle. A giggling Hermione was something else new to Harry and soon he was joining her. "What are you laughing at?' she said with a smile.

"I dunno. You started," it he said with a big lopsided grin. "Why are you laughing? I'm not so completely hopeless at kissing, am I?"

"No, not at all. In fact you're rather quite good," she said. "It's, well, it's just that this not what I had expected for my first kiss."

"This was your first kiss?" he asked with a hint of surprise.

In a more serious tone she answered, "Yes, my first real kiss, not counting a peck on the cheek from a friend."

Harry understood what she was trying to tell him. She'd never really kissed Viktor. Despite what he had heard from the Hogwarts rumor mill, the actual event was something much more innocent than he'd imagined. The idea filled him with even more happiness. Then another thought entered his mind. "Oh," he said. "Funny thing is a rather special girl recently gave me a peck on the cheek and until now I thought it did count."

Hermione knew now that the discussion had shifted from Viktor's farewell to her at the end of the ball to the way she had bid Harry farewell at King's Cross Station a few weeks earlier. "No that kiss didn't count either. Although it may have been _her_ a way of telling you she did want a real kiss from you but she wasn't sure how to ask."

"That was much too subtle. Blokes can be kind of thick about those things," Harry explained.

"I know. Had to go with the direct approach didn't I?" she teased.

"And it was well done. Plenty brave of you, too. Even though you looked a bit scared there."

"I was!" she told him. "I wasn't sure this would ever happen between us."

"How long have you been thinking about…this?" he was gesturing between the two.

Hermione sighed and pulled Harry over to the small couch in the room. They sat together as they often had in the Gryffindor common room, minus the fire of course: just two friends sitting close and talking. Their legs touched which was hardly unusual. "I've wanted you to ask me to be your girlfriend for quite a while, a year at least. You're really hopeless you know. Last summer I bought those dress for the ball with you in mind. I had hoped you would have asked me to whatever formal function they mentioned in our letters last year."

"I should have. You took my breath away that night."

"I noticed," she said with a smile. Harry's reaction to first seeing her at the Yule ball had been one of the biggest highlights of the past year. "I'd kind of given up on you after that though, when you never _did_ anything about it..."

"I don't blame you," he said. "Like we said, I'm kind of thick some times."

"But in the end I couldn't give up on you. Not yet. Then during the second task, when you stopped to rescue me instead of Ron, I realized my feelings for you had never diminished. I wanted you to ask me to be your girlfriend so bad."

"But I couldn't. First of all, I had no clue you were interested in me. I was afraid of messing things up between us if it didn't work out. I need you as a friend. You're the best one I have and I seem to be in rather short supply. Not to say it isn't also true today, but it was especially true last winter. I could never have made it through that stupid tournament alive without your help. One thing that has worried me, when thinking about us as boyfriend and girlfriend is the idea that if this doesn't work out, I could lose you. I need you to promise me if this doesn't work, we won't lose our friendship over it."

"I promise Harry, we'll be friends forever," she said, taking his hand a squeezing it gently.

Harry paused to consider his next words carefully. Realizing he was over thinking things he took a breath and he softly told her "Hermione, I...I love you too."

Hermione's breath hitched at this declaration. Slowly the distance between them closed and they were kissing once more. After several minutes they broke apart, but only a few inches as Harry cupped her cheek with his hands. As they smiled at one another Harry told her. "I think I like this, having you as my girlfriend."

Hermione's response was cut off by a loud bang which was followed by an earsplitting, almost in-human group of wailing screams. "Ooooh, that Tonks!" Hermione said with a huff. "Every time she comes over, she trips over that hideous umbrella stand and gets the lot of them started. I swear she does it on purpose." She rose from the couch, crossed the room, opened the door and stuck her head out "Thanks for not waiting until we're all asleep this time you clumsy oaf!" she yelled down the hallway.

Harry heard a girl with a thick cockney accent yell back, "Go stuff yourself," after which Hermione loudly slammed the bedroom door shut. She crossed the room and threw herself back onto the couch.

"Way to ruin the moment," she said in exasperation, more to herself than to Harry. He looked at her and slowly a grin started to creep across his face. In a matter of moments she was smiling too and soon they were both giggling again.

When they finally stopped laughing at the situation, she turned a more serious. "Really Harry, I don't know how an absolute klutz like her ever became an Auror."

"She must have some other skills. What do you have against her? Seemed decent enough when she picked me up from Privet Drive earlier tonight, Harry said.

"She was one of the Order members who snatched me from Paddington Station. Tripped and fell over some kid's knapsack. I turned to look and someone else, I think it might have been Moody, shot me in the back with a stunner. Next thing I know, I woke up in here," she explained. "I'm a bit disturbed by the fact that an active duty Auror would kidnap me like that."

"I see your point."

"Of course, she said it couldn't be helped," Hermione continued.

"Don't tell me, I can guess. She was 'just following Dumbledore's orders,'" Harry said in exasperation. "You know, that's becoming something of a mantra around here."

"So she helped you get away from your Aunt's house?"

"Yeah, it was her plan that got them out of the way. She sent then a letter inviting them to the All-England Best-Kept Lawn competition."

"I've never heard of any such thing."

"It's not a real contest. She just wanted them to drive half way across the Country to get them out of the way," he explained.

"Oh Harry, that's bad. Imagine how angry the Durselys will be with you after finding out they've been tricked. I can imagine they're going to be rather unpleasant next time you have to see them."

While at the time Harry had thought it a rather marvelous little trick, he realized now that he was the one who would pay for it. "I bet she could have just told them the truth, that the lot of them were coming around from the Order to collect me. My Aunt and Uncle would have been glad to clear off."

By now, most of the yelling from downstairs had stopped, but one woman was now cursing and screaming as loud as the rest of the voices they had heard put together: "Mudbloods, stains of dishonor, filthy half-breeds, blood traitors, children of filth! Filthy dirty mudbloods! " She continued with her tirade with something else Harry didn't quite catch. Harry had never seen Hermione react to the epithet, but he could tell she was bothered now. He gave her with a questioning look.

"It's become rather more difficult to miss the hatred in her voice, when she goes on like that. I've always been able to dismiss Malfoy as a pompous fool, but this is place has been a pretty awful reminder of what I'm up against. I've always know about the bias I'll face in this world, but to have it thrown in my face like this is unnerving. You want a laugh?" she said bitterly. "Even Kreature, Sirius' stupid house elf, hates me because of my blood status."

Harry took her hand, trying to comfort the witch. "Who is making all that racket that?"

"It's not a who. It's a what. It's a big portrait of Sirius' late mother. I think it's safe to say she and the Malfoys ran in similar circles. She's not exactly pleased with having the Order using her house. A big supporter of Voldemort too, I understand."

"Why don't they take it down, then?"

"They can't figure out how. The old hag used some sort of sticking charm they haven't been able to defeat. I wonder how long it's going to take them to figure out that they could quite easily remove the whole damn wall and put up a new one." Harry boggled at her. She now had a slightly mischievous grin. "Don't tell them. My captors are quite embarrassed by her."

"I keep forgetting how devious you can be sometimes," Harry said with a slight look of awe.

"Don't you forget it Mr. Potter, if you know what's good for you," she said playfully. "The good news is that if Nymphy is playing football with the umbrella stand it likely means the meeting finally over. Maybe my warders will remember to feed me now."

"Do you want to go down and check?" he asked.

"I'd rather not eat in the kitchen. I'm not really in the mood to deal with them. They usually send the house elf up with meals."

As if on cue, Arthur Weasley called from the landing at the top of the stairs, "Kids, Harry, Hermione, come on down, dinners ready."

"I'll get us both some," Harry offered, rising to leave.

Harry was gone several minutes while Hermione cleared several stacks of books off of a small table she also ate off of. Harry returned with a plate of sandwiches, some crisps and a pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"Sorry that took so long. They tried to keep me from bringing dinner up. Said we had to eat with them," Harry explained.

"After locking me in here for so long? That's a laugh."

"Yeah, that's what I said. Its sandwiches for everyone. Ron was rather put-out. I apparently upturned the stew and Molly's in no condition to fix another meal. Her leg is healed but she looked rather tired." Harry voice showed his concern about her.

"You know that's not your fault either," she reassured him.

"Actually, that one is on me. I tried to chuck a cauldron at Snape and missed. Mrs. Weasley caught it in the leg. They were all still pretty put out about that. I think my status as an honorary Weasley is rather in doubt right now. Only Ginny wasn't having a go at me. She was going on about someone named Phlem. Any clue who that is?"

"That would be Fleur Delacour. She met Bill before the third task of the tournament. He asked her out when he found out she was also going to be working at Gringots. They want out a couple of times, but she dropped him when she started work and discovered he'd over stated his credentials by quite a bit. Bill hasn't gotten the message yet, so it seems. He's telling everyone he meets that they're engaged."

Harry laughed. "You're joking."

"Not in the least," she said as she sat down and grabbed a sandwich from the plate Harry had brought up. When he sat to join him, she looked back at the table. "Glasses?" she asked.

Harry pulled a pair of straws from behind his ear. Hermione gave him stern a look. "Hands were full," he explained. "I can wash them off in sink if you want," pointing to a door in the back of the room that lead to her private bath. Having locked her into a room, by necessity Hermione was given one of the largest rooms on the floor and it had its own loo.

"Just give me a straw," she demanded with a huff. "And find a better way to carry them next time."

"Yes dear," he answered, with just a hint of humor in his voice and features.

Hermione's initial response was to intensify her glare, but after a few seconds she broke out in a victorious smile. "Good boy. You need to remember that line."

What humor there was in his voice before was drained away. "I have a bad feeling about this," he grumbled in mock horror as he ate is his sandwich.

"Don't worry, we'll work out a nice incentive program for your good behavior," she said as she edged closer to him and gave him a kiss on his cheeks. "Behave and you'll be well rewarded," she said in a slightly silky voice, after which she nibbled on his ear lobe.

Harry almost chocked on the bit of sandwich he had in his mouth. Quickly recovering, Harry smiled again. "Yes, I definitely think I'm going to like having you as my girlfriend," which caused them both to giggle.

They finished their sandwiches without much talk, but with quite a few stolen glances, as if to say, 'this is really happening, isn't it.' They also shared the pumpkin juice, at one point with both trying to drink at the same time. Their faces were close enough together that Harry let his straw slip into the pitcher and started to kiss Hermione while she was still drinking. When his lips met hers, she let her straw go and returned the kiss. The pitcher found its way back to the table and the two teens leaned into each other on the couch, with Harry pulling Hermione close to him.

Several minutes latter Harry finally pulled away and told his friend, "I like your pumpkiny kisses."

"Me too."

"You done eating?" he asked.

"Yes. I've had enough," Hermione answered.

Harry stood and told her, "I'll clear of the plates and pitcher and bring them back to the kitchen. There was chocolate cake too. Hopefully there's some left."

"Bring milk," she suggested.

"Of course," he told her.

Harry returned from the kitchen a few minutes later with a single extra large plate of cake with two forks and another pitcher, this time half filled with milk. Two new straws were standing in the pitcher. It took the teens a while to finish the cake. Hermione continued to insist Harry was being needlessly sloppy and getting cake on his lips, cheeks and chin and proceeded clean it off by kissing him where she had said the cake was. This game also generated laughter until Harry accidentally knocked the plate with the last few bites in the floor. Together they picked up the remains and tossed it in the bin in her room. The empty cake plate and pitcher were deposited on the floor outside the bedroom where either Kreature would pick it up or Harry would take it down next time he went into the kitchen.

When they sat back down again Hermione asked Harry, "Are you ready to tell me about the Dementor attack?"

"Not much to tell. What have you heard?" Harry asked.

"Bits and pieces," she said. "I overheard Fred and George outside my door which gave me a general idea of what happened. I doubt I got the full picture though and because of the silencing spell I couldn't ask them any questions. Do you mind telling me the whole story?"

With that, Harry recounted the events that took place four nights earlier. He admitted on his own that he was probably out of line in picking a fight with his cousin and pulling his wand on the boy. He also gave her all the details he could remember about the attack and his surprise at learning that his neighbor was a squib. They both agreed that it seemed like too much of a coincidence that someone who was connected to the wizarding world would be living that close to Harry. They agreed she must have been put there by someone to watch over him, most probably by Professor Dumbledore. They also discussed the howler that his Aunt had received and Hermione suggested that, considering everything else he was involved in, Dumbledore would be a likely candidate to have sent that. Neither had a clue what the message "Remember my last," had meant. Harry filed that question away for follow up when he finally got a chance to speak with the headmaster after Harry's hearing. What also interested Hermione the most were the two Ministry letters.

After Harry explained what they said she told him, "Harry, those charges are shouldn't stick." She pointed at a stack of books next to her bed. I've done research on both the International Statute of Secrecy and the Restrictions on Underage Magic. The Statute of Secrecy is the more serious charge but since the only person you knew was present was your cousin, and he was family who already knew about magic, there is no way you could be convicted of violating the statute. In the restrictions for use of underage magic there are exceptions allowing you to defend yourself in a dangerous situation. There are dozens of cases supporting your actions. I'll help you prepare for your hearing, and make sure you have references for those cases ready in case you need them. "

Harry was warmed by her offer. It may have been a completely expected behavior on her part, but he still appreciated the offer. "So you don't think I have anything to worry about?"

"No. You shouldn't." Hermione had emphasized the last word.

Harry noticed this. "What do you mean by 'shouldn't'?"

"There may be more going on here. Clearly Dumbledore intervened on your part between the first and second ministry letters, but the question is what did he do, and more import what was the cost? He's not exactly a very popular person with the ministry right now."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I know very few of the details," she told him, "but Dumbledore overstepped his bounds in stopping them from snapping your wand. From what I understand, that kind of rule-breaking isn't unusual in the Ministry but this time someone objected."

"Are you saying I should have had my wand snapped?" he asked, shock clearly evident in his voice.

"No, no, of course not. I think the second letter was probably a reasonable, if not slightly excessive punishment for what you were accused of. The suspension is a bit harsh, but a hearing in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office, is technically correct," she said waiving her wands towards the stack of books she had been reading. "Snapping your wand is not."

"You said Dumbledore shouldn't have fixed it but it was the right thing to do. I'm confused," he said.

"Depending how he did it, even if he was preventing someone from doing the wrong thing, he might also have broken Ministry rules in doing so. That's not what is important though. What's important is that people are fighting back. From what I've been able to hear from my room, his hold on his position in the Wizengamot is slipping. He's fighting tooth and nail to hang onto his Chief Warlock position. Someone's been trying to remove him from power all summer."

"How do you figure that?" he asked.

"Have you been reading the Daily Profit this summer?" Hermione knew Harry had taken out a subscription at the end of term.

"Some of it," he said.

"Have you actually been reading the paper?" she asked.

"I did for about a week, but since then it's just the headlines. I've just been trying to figure out what Voldemort has been up too. If there was anything in the paper about him, I figured I'd spot it just readying those."

"You have to read the whole paper to see it. They're saying he's gotten too old and has gone round the bend in his old age. ICW stripped him of his title when he addressed their assembly and announced the return of Voldemort. That really hurt his reputation. They're using that as an excuse to try and remove him from the Wizengamot. Fudge is actually trying to strip him of his Order of Merlin."

"Fudge didn't believe us about Voldemort being back and they're trying to ruin Dumbledore. Why does that make me nervous?"

"They're also waging a campaign against you," she told him.

"What?" he yelped.

"You remember on the day of the third task, that Skeeter woman wrote that article describing you as disturbed and dangerous?"

Harry sighed, "Yeah. Thanks for reminding me."

"Well, they haven't exactly let up. They're continuing to build on that."

"I haven't seen any articles in the paper about me," he said.

"That's the thing, it hasn't been anything directly about you. It's just that they're slipping things into other stories to make you look bad. If someone was telling an unlikely story, they call it a tale worthy of Harry Potter. If someone had a funny accident, they add things like 'let's hope he hasn't got a scar on his forehead or we'll be asked to worship him next.' The Profit is doing its best portray you as a 'deluded, attention-seeking person who thinks he's a great tragic hero.'" Hermione could tell Harry's temper was rising. She held his hands in her own to try and calm him. It helped keep him from erupting.

Harry was worried now, more so than when he first arrived. The only thing that calmed him in the least was knowing that Hermione would help him prepare for the hearing. He only hoped he would do a better job applying her research than Hagrid had done when Buckbeak was on trial. He also hoped that he and Dumbledore would have a chance to talk about the hearing before it took place. They continued to talk for a bit about her research for his defense, which calmed him down quite a bit. Harry finally decided to ask about something else that was on his mind.

"Have you heard what is Voldemort is doing. I had honestly expected there to be more attacks," he told her.

"I don't think the people here are expecting anything like that right now. What I've gathered is Voldemort is lying low. Everyone seems to think he's after a weapon."

"What kind of weapon does he need?" Harry asked. "He seemed to do well enough last go-around."

"I don't know. The Order is hell-bent on keeping its secrets even from people on its own side," she said.

The two continued to talk into the early morning. Besides contemplating what Voldemort might be up to, they discussed a range of topics including the fact that the Granger vacations plan had been interrupted – they had planned on going back to the South of France. They discussed Ron's reaction to their being a couple. They agreed it might be a poor one because Ron had been acting peculiar around Hermione. They agreed that the boy had no interest in her whatsoever before the Yule ball, but since she had gone out with Viktor Krum, Ron had apparently seen her in a new light. She also noticed that he seemed to be acting strange towards her over the best part of the summer, but she couldn't put her figure on how. Hermione had told Harry that Ginny also had a pretty serious crush on him. He laughed at this, knowing that had been true since before he first met the girl. "She still can't talk to me without going faint. Not much of a future there, I would warrant."

During their conversation they had curled up together on the couch. Harry's feet were on the table they had eaten off of. Hermione was leaning into Harry's side, her legs up on the small couch. Eventually the conversation waned and Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulders. Harry ran his hands through her hair and which relaxed him. Harry's steady heartbeat soothed her and evenly her eye lids drooped and then closed as one hand caressed his chest. Without meaning to do so, both were soon asleep.

oOoOo

As soon as dinner was over Sirius had looked in on Harry and Hermione but the pair hadn't noticed. They were talking and had looked like they had a lot of catching up to do. As soon as he closed the door he had been accosted by Molly Weasley. Without being noticed, Sirius cast a spell so no one would be able to hear their conversation.

"How's the leg Molly?" he had asked.

"I'll be fine. Don't tell me you left those two behind closed doors," she said with pursed lips.

"So what if I did?" he said.

"It's not appropriate for a boy and girl to be alone together in a bedroom at their age," she said in a stern voice. "I won't have it."

Sirius had an uneasy feeling if it had been Harry and Ginny, she might not have objected. "You have no say in the matter Molly," Sirius told her. "It's my house and you're _not_ their mother."

"I'm as good as Harry's got," she said.

Sirius bristled at this comment. His greatest regret was that he had not been there for Harry after his parents had been murdered. He took offense at this woman asserting her dominion over the boy. "From what I've heard, they're not an item, and even if they were, what you think those two would get up to behind an unlocked door? That girl doesn't strike me as the type to do anything stupid."

Molly refused to be dismissed. "I have children that age. In know very well what they can get up to. Those two need a chaperone," she insisted.

Sirius was angry and had enough of her interfering. Her dismissal pushed him over the edge. He let out a bark of a laugh. "Yes, you would be one to know, but not because you have kids of your own. You may have graduated before I started at good ol' Hoggywarts, but the exploits of Molly 'Wobbly Legs' Prewitt were legendary, even in my time. I doubt those two would ever be able to find half the broom closets you were seen coming out of." Molly's hand came to cover her mouth and she was turning red, but Sirius' anger at her cut about his not being around to raise Harry was a very sore subject with him. He let his anger carry his tired. "How many boys was it in the end? Surely the rumors about you shagging every boy in Gryffindor from three different years must be an exaggeration."

Molly was so mad she was shaking. She was about to erupt when footsteps broke the silence. Not knowing who was coming she beat a hasty retreat. There were stories about her youth she didn't want any of her children finding out about. Only a silent promise to herself of revenge on the man allowed her to walk away without drawing her wand.

Sirius couldn't resist a final barb as he shouted at her retreating back. "I can read a calendar Molly. Bill was born in October of '70, five months after your graduation. What class where you and Arthur skiving off when you two conceived the boy?" Sirius was disappointed that they had been interrupted. There was one more question he had always wanted to ask. The story of Molly giving Arthur a love potion was part of the lore of the Order. What Sirius had never know was did she use the potion on Arthur in order to get him into the broom closet, or after she discovered she was pregnant with his child.

Molly had pretty much taken over his home since her arrival. That was one of many slights the man had suffered as the host to the Order this summer, and it was affecting his decisions. The old marauder was now upset at himself for provoking the fight. He wasn't happy about losing control of his emotions like this. Snape's constant barbs about him sitting in hiding while 'Snivelous' took all the risks was another indignation he was unhappy to suffer. He was glad to finally kick that pathetic excuse of a man out of his home. But the biggest mistake he had made was obviously accepting the group's decision to keep Hermione here for her own good. For the life of him he couldn't figure out how he'd ever agreed to that, or whose idea it had been in the first place. Had he been locked up in Azkaban for so long that he would now let someone cast a compulsion charm on him? He hoped that one fool decision did not irreparably harm his relationship with his godson. In truth, Harry was all he had to live for at the moment. It was time to make amends to the boy. It was only a start, but protecting his privacy from overbearing witches seemed like a good place to start. Secondly he, he would adopt the lad's priorities, and clearly Miss. Granger topped that list. A temporary locking spell on Miss. Granger's bedroom that admitted those two and keep out all other intruders and another anti-eavesdropping spell was a tiny first step. After that, he returned to the kitchen and left the pair in peace for the rest of the evening. They certainly seemed to have much to talk about.

It was several hours later when Sirius finally decided to turn. He peaked into the girl's room a second time and found the couple asleep on the couch. From the doorway, he conjured a blanket that wrapped itself around Hermione, and then a second one for Harry. It didn't look like he was in the best of sleeping positions. He would probably wake up with some soreness in arms and neck, but there was no way he was disturbing the pair.

oOoOo

Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore felt tired to his bones. He had, as the muggles said, too many balls in the air and realized he was unable to give each their due attention. His deteriorating reputation within the Ministry was occupying too much of his time and energy, and he knew it. Never-the-less, the position held enough power that it was worth fighting for. It was because of this he hadn't expected his final confrontation of the evening. He was staring at an empty lemon drop bowl when he received a message that the gargoyle at the bottom of the stairs of his tower that it had just admitted Minerva McGonagall to his office. He let out a heavy sigh. He really could use a lemon drop.

The large wooden door swung open quickly and then slammed shut after the school's Deputy Headmistress had entered the office. The woman was in a towering rage. The look on her face would have frightened most any person who'd seen it.

"Precisely when did it become appropriate for you to kidnap and imprison children?" Minerva McGonagall asked with a voice so cold it that it could freeze water.

"I'm not personally involved in either of those..." Albus said.

She cut him off. "You may not have perpetrated either of those atrocities but do not try and tell me that you didn't either tacitly approve or directly order those acts."

"They were done for her protection, Minerva. Who knows what could have happened if we hadn't intervened. She was by herself in muggle London."

"Precisely where was this?"

"Paddington Station."

"So she was in central London, in a very public place in the middle of the day with hundreds of muggles present? Thay hardly sounds out of order for a girl of her age. I doubt very much she was in any more danger than any other teen aged child in that location. She was _not_picked-up for her protection. Don't try and convince me otherwise. You were annoyed with her and wanted her out of your way."

"Minerva, war is coming if it is not here already. People must follow orders," he explained patently.

"ORDERS? Damn you, she's a child and a student, NOT a solder in this war of yours. I do not understand you Albus. Would you care to explain to me why you didn't wish her to communicate with Harry?" she raged coldly.

"Security," he said in a calm and self assured voice.

"How do you figure that? What secrets of yours do either of them know that that the other doesn't?"

Albus either could not or would not answer this.

Minerva continued her rant. "That boy was involved in a serious traumatic event. All that girl would have done is comfort him. How does that in any way compromise the Order's security?"

Dumbledore sighed. The truth was more complicated than that. He needed Harry dependant on him. He needed to keep Harry loyal and willing to follow orders. There was a very unpleasant task in his future and everything that he had done with regards to that boy was in preparation of that unfortunate bit of business. But this was not something Minerva would be willing to accept. "It was in both of their best interests. You will just need to accept my judgment with regards to that matter."

"I will do no such thing Albus. Tomorrow I will take that girl back home and return her to her family. I _pray_ that she and I can find a solution to this situation which will not result in either her parents removing her from school or her permanent estrangement from her parents. God help me, if I am not successful and she is withdrawn from school, I may very well resign my position here and take her on as an apprentice so she can continue her education."

Albus had momentarily considered that removing the Granger girl from Harry's life would work to the headmaster's advantage. He also knew that the two students in question had all the signs they could fall in love, if they had not done so already. This was a problem for the professor. All indications he had been able to uncover with the Voldemort situation were that Albus needed Harry to be a martyr. Young men in love do not make easily make such sacrifices. At least not willingly. A romantic relationship between the two complicated matters. Molly, to his disappointment, had failed to divert the girl's attention in another direction. Although he had considered that such a relationship between Harry and the Granger girl might also be worked in his favor. Ms. Grangers' muggleborn status would help in that. It was something Dumbledore could play off of. He would only need to make Harry's eventual sacrifice more personal in nature – one done on her behalf. Because of this he was inclined to allow the girl to remain a student at the school. On the other hand, the loss of Minerva would be rather problematic to say the least. Her dedication to the school saw her complete a great number of tasks that were rightfully his responsibility. This allowed Dumbledore a great many freedoms. Somehow he betrayed this thought to his Deputy.

"I wish you luck in finding someone else who is both willing and able to do the administrative work that I take on that should be your responsibility Albus. Remember THAT. After I collect Ms. Granger, you can take my membership in this Order of yours and shove it where the sun doesn't shine. And do not dare remove my access to headquarters either. I will be paying a visit or two to Harry while he is in the Order's care to make sure his treatment is not out of line either. I'm disappointed Albus. Very disappointed indeed."

With that, the woman turned on her heals and left the room, pausing only slightly to wait for the office door to open. Albus' calls for the witch to come back to his office were left unheeded.

As her footsteps down the circular stone stairs faded, Albus took a deep breath. He needed a plan to keep her from turning Harry against him. She was much too strong willed and independent to be a trusted confidant. Because of this she knew none of his ultimate plans for Harry. Given too many clues the witch was bright and might deduce at least some of Albus' secret plans. No answer came to him that evening on improving the situation.


	5. Ch 4 With a Little Help from My Freinds

**Chapter 4 – With a Little Help from My Friends**

You may have the best of intentions, but without a complete consideration of all the facts, you can be woefully disappointed in the results of your actions. That is where many of us failed.

- S.I. Nullblade, _Tales of the Longest Walk_

**Monday, August 7th – Grimmauld Place, London**

Harry awoke to the sun in his eyes and a bushy head of hair on his chest. They had fallen asleep together on the couch in Hermione's bedroom. Harry was the first awake and was surprised that and she had never made her way back to her bed during the night. He quietly watched her as she slept. The look on her face was once of peacefulness and contentment. He was slightly surprised when she began to rub his chest in her sleep. Before he had a chance to stop her, she began to stir. "Morning sleepyhead," Harry said to her softly.

Hermione leapt off of the couch in a shot. Harry gave a soft chuckle. Hermione gave him a very exasperated glare. "We shouldn't have done that!" she announced.

"Done what?" he asked her innocently.

"Fallen asleep like that!"

"Why not?"

"Because people will talk. Because…because…" Hermione stopped herself. Harry was giving her a grin which she wasn't sure how to interpret. Suddenly her brain engaged and she asked herself why it had been wrong. It was perfectly innocent, at least for the most part. She knew girls who had done much more than fall asleep with a bloke even on a first date. Michelle Harrison, a Gryffindor who had just graduated, was known to do just about anything for boy, first date or otherwise, if he brought along a pound of Honeydukes. Okay, bad example. Still, she realized what had happened with her and Harry was perfectly innocent. Hermione smile at Harry and shook her head. "Never mind." Harry rose and made his way towards her. A glance of his eyes towards her lips and she knew what he intended. She covered her mouth with a hand. "Not until I've brushed", she said as she darted to the bathroom.

It was already half eight. A tray of breakfast breads, butter, jams and honeys appeared by the door. Also on the tray was a scrap of parchment with a note saying that the Goblin guard for the Grangers home had been arranged. Hermione and her escorts were leaving for Oxford at 10:00.

Hermione didn't have much with her when she arrived, so it took little time for her to pack that morning although she did take a couple of the legal books from the Black library that covered the laws Harry was accused of breaking. All too soon for Harry's taste, they were wishing each other a fond farewell in the home's entry way. Harry wasn't surprised to see that Hermione's guard was considerably smaller than Harry's had been the evening before. He would have made a comment, but was relieved to see both Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonagall included in the group escorting Hermione home. The tall dark skinned Auror had seemed to be the most levelheaded of the Order members Harry had met in the last 12 hours. Earlier, his head of house had promised she would not leave the Grangers until things had been smoothed over with Hermione's parents.

Harry and Hermione's parting kiss at the door had been less than chaste, and earned a reproving glare from both Ron and Molly. The young witch ignored all of the others who had come to say goodbye and held her head high as she left.

After the front door closed, without a word, Harry walked back up the flight of stairs to the bedrooms. He quickly went into Ron's room to retrieve his truck. Harry was a bit disturbed to see that it had been opened. Harry could not recall unlocking his trunk when he had arrived the prior evening, but a quick inspection showed that Harry's invisibility cloak and most of the other important items were still there. Remembering Hermione's urging of Harry to avoid magic at all costs, he drug the trunk from Ron's room down to the far end of the hallway.

"Where are you going mate?" Ron asked, having just climbed back up from the kitchen.

"I don't fancy listening to you snoring for the next three weeks," Harry politely told his friend. "And I'm not supposed to do silencing charms like I do at school."

Harry pulled his trunk into the room Hermione had been staying in, kicked the door shut and settled down on her couch. Over the last few weeks, the room had taken on smelling just a little like Hermione. Harry couldn't put his finger on what those smells were, but he found them comforting. He glanced at the bed and just then realized that he would be sleeping in the same bed she had been using. He wasn't quite sure what feelings he had about that, but the idea sent a flutter through his stomach.

He hadn't been in the room for more than a minute when the door opened and Molly Weasley looked in. "No time to lounge about young man. We need you in the drawing room right away. The drapes are infested with Doxies and the china cabinet needs a thorough going through," she told him.

"No ma'am, I think I'll stay in here today," he told her.

"That wasn't a request Harry. This place needs a thorough cleaning. Everyone needs to pitch in. Heavens knows what that house-elf has been doing all these years."

"So this is a labor camp, not just a prison?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"This is not a prison," she objected.

"Tell that to Hermione," he said flatly.

"Look here young man, I will not tolerate laziness nor that insolent tone. Get off that couch this instant." The witch had her wand in her hand quicker than Harry would have expected and was hit in the thigh with a stinging hex.

Harry let out a yelp and jumped to his feet. Just as quickly, he had his own wand out. Because the room was so small, Harry was standing across from the smaller witch in a flash; his wand jabbed between Molly's eyes. A firm and fast rule in the wizarding world, regardless of your family's beliefs, was that one never drew their wand on their mother. Even Fred and George had never even considered crossing that line. Molly Weasley had always thought of herself as a surrogate mother to Harry so having Harry's wand in her face was a very unpleasant surprise. The woman gasp loudly in shock.

Molly reason for hexing Harry was hardly malicious. She was simply trying to get Harry into the routine of the house and treating her not unlike a petulant Fred or George. But she had erred miserably in stinging Harry. He'd suffered enough abuse at the hands of the Durselys that he was intolerant of any form of motivation that involved pain. It did not matter that this was the same mild stinging hex that the students at school used when they played a version of wizard tag.

Harry looked Molly straight in the eyes and told her as seriously as he could, "I swear to God witch, if you ever hex me again, one of us is going to wind up in the emergency room at St. Mungo's."

Molly stared at the boy for several seconds before she slowly lowered her wand. As she backed away from Harry she said, "Why I never. I'm sending Sirius up to teach you some manners you ungrateful…"

Harry missed the rest of the woman's rant, as he slammed the door in her face which effectively ended her building tirade. "The polite thing to do is to knock. Please do so next time." Harry yelled at the closed door.

Sinking back into the couch, Harry grabbed at random one the books Hermione had been reading. His hearing was six days away, and he would spend that time on his own terms. Sirius never came up to interrupt Harry's privacy. That threat had been an idle one from the woman. Molly was on even worse terms with Sirius at the moment and he would hardly do her bidding.

oOoOo

Tuesday afternoon, August 8, 1995 - Grimmauld Place, London

Sirius Black was sitting in the kitchen of his family's London townhome when he heard the front door open. He best friend walked in wearing a faded traveling cloak. He was clearly jittery and paler than normal. A quick glance at a calendar hanging near the sink and Sirius looked back at his best friend Remus Lupin.

"You look like shite mate. What's up? The moon's still two days away."

"Severus had a problem with the first batch of Wolfsbane," Remus said in a dismissive voice.

Sirius snorted. "Problem my ass. His nose is still out of shape because I gave him the boot."

"Yes. Thank you for that." It was hard to miss that Remus wasn't too happy with Sirius on this matter. The man opened a pair of cabinets, pulling out a large glass tumbler and a bottle of amber liquid.

"Bit early for you," Sirius said, nodding towards at the bottle. Remus ignored his friend. He uncapped the bottle and poured half a glass. He picked it up and downed it in a swallow. He refilled the glass once more to the half way point. Sirius looked at the Oban label on the bottle and gave the man a stern look as he snatched the bottle away. "Take it easy man. That's the 50 year old. It's for sipping. Hang the cost, but I can't exactly pop on down to the corner and replace that at the drop of a hat." Sirius grabbed the bottle and cork put it away. He pulled out another bottle and got a glass for himself. As he sat back down he pulled the cork out with his teeth and spit it onto the floor. Pouring himself a healthy shot, he put the replacement bottle down in front of his friend.

Remus spun the bottle a quarter turn and read the name on the label which said, "McCallan", along with 35 in large print. "All tastes about the same to me," the werewolf said.

"I thought your sense of smell was supposed to get better at the moon," Sirius said.

"My smell does get sharper. But my taste buds dull. Makes it easier to eat what I hunt I guess," Remus sai.

"Strange. Never knew that. Not me. Both my sense of smell and taste are stronger after I transform," Sirius explained.

"And still you lick your own balls whenever you get the chance," Remus said with a sting in his voice.

"Fuck off, Moony," Sirius threatened. Remus chucked at his friend and soon Sirius joined him. "Glad you're back," Sirius told his friend.

"It was a fool's errand. Finally got up the nerve to tell Albus."

"Wish you'd done so sooner. I wouldn't have buggered up things so bad with Harry," Sirus said.

"Hell, I doubt I would have tried to stop you. I've been trying to recruit my _brothers_ away from their clans." The sarcasm in his voice when he had said the word brothers was evident. "Holding a 15 year old witch against her will is child's play, comparatively speaking."

"The shit of it all is I don't ever remember saying it was fine with me to bring the lass here in the first place," Sirius said.

Remus looked surprised. "What do you suspect? A compulsion charm?"

"Wouldn't put it past the old goat."

"You really think he's losing touch," Remus said. It was a statement not a question.

"You tell me. You've spent more time with him than I have. I mean I know everyone always thought he was a bit balmy. Hell we said it as kids."

"I didn't notice anything that concerned me when I was there, but, well, you've said yourself I always looked at him through rose colored spectacles."

"One thing I do know is that he's playing things much closer to the vest these days. Doesn't trust anyone enough to tell them the time of day. I had practically had to pull teeth to get him to own up to the fact that he's actually going to run Harry's defense at this hearing they've drummed up for the lad next week."

"At least that's something," Remus said.

"I just hope he keeps his word," the man said.

Remus shrugged. "It's the bloody Improper Use of Magic board. Hopkirk is still running the underage magic group. She was practically a relic when I got my last notice. What's the worst that could happen?"

"I don't know, but I'll tell you this, the old man is obsessed with three things this summer, getting his seat back us Supreme Mugwump, protecting Harry and protecting the damn entrance to the Department of Mysteries. Two of those got screwed up and I have no clue why the hell we're doing the last. I mean for Merlin's sake I just hope he's focused on Harry come Monday.

"You don't think he'll actually move his own agenda instead?"

"Don't ask me that question," Sirius barked. He drained his drink and refilled his glass again.

"Sorry friend." Sirius pointed his wand at the bottle on the table. It floated over to his glass and refilled it. "Look at the bright side, if they give the boy the boot, he'll land here with you."

"Fat lot of good that will do if he isn't talking to me." Sirus took a third swallow of scotch.

"He'll come around."

"I'd like to know how."

"Make it up to the girl. If she forgives you Harry will follow. That was true when I was there and it doesn't look like that has changed one bit. Did you really find them asleep on her couch?"

"Yup," Sirius said with a bit of pride in his voice. "He might wind up taking after me instead of his old man in that department after all."

Remus snorted. "You mean the part where you pissed off every poor witch at school?"

"Hey, I treated them witches right."

"I might buy that if you hadn't been trying to string half a dozen along at any one time. Mark my words, Harry gonna take after James. That girl is his Lily. She'll have him housebroken before he even sees it coming. Beside you said they didn't do anything."

"That's true."

"How can you be sure?" Remus asked "You said they were alone together in that bedroom for several hours."

Sirus tapped his nose with his finger. "Canine sense of smell. I took a sniff when I found them. Nothing."

"Seek help, Sirius," Remus said shaking his head.

"You're right. I need to find myself a witch."

"That's not the kind of help I was suggesting."

oOoOo

**Friday morning, August 11, 1995 – Still Grimmauld Place, London**

Once again Harry awoke before the dawn. This was the fourth morning since Hermione had returned home and he knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. A couple of days ago he discovered the home's rooftop garden. In the mornings he instinctively climbed to this location to greet the dawn. The garden was formal and until very recently well maintained. The Blacks had paid an outside service to keep up the garden and no one had ever bothered to cancel that service. Since payments were deducted directly from the Black family vault in Gringotts, that service had be uninterrupted until the _Fidelius_ charm had been cast on the property a few weeks ago. Even with the recent period of neglect, the garden was still in good shape.

The garden was protected on three sides by a five foot high brownstone wall that matched the rest the homes on the block. Although not visible from the street, the garden had an excellent view of the London skyline. Most of what he saw in central London to the south was glass and steel. From here the famous landmarks were obscured by more modern structures. Kings Cross Station was barely visible just to the south east. In every other direction was the sprawl of greater London. But what drew his eye each morning was the swath darkness to the southwest. As the sun rose, Regent's Park would be slowly revealed from that dark area. It was a thoroughly urban park with any semblance of wilderness long ago manicured away. Still he wondered, could Hedwig have sought shelter in the trees of the area? Each morning before dawn, when his owl most loved to hunt, Harry would sit in silence hoping against hope to catch a glimmer of white in the dark.

This morning as he sat in the rising light he considered his plight. Two days earlier he had tried to make peace with the Weasley clan with varying degrees of success. As far as Fred and George were concerned, there was nothing to forgive. They greeted him cheerfully whenever he approached them. Once Harry wondered how much of that was because for the 1,000 Galleons in tournament prize money he had slipped them at the end of the school year. Never-the-less he was glad for their kind treatment, which he hoped was truly genuine. Arthur was a bit more distant than usual, but treated Harry well enough when he was around. This wasn't very often and Harry suspected the man was at this place only long enough to catch a few hours sleep each night. Harry could not figure out what the man was doing with his time when he was away from work. Ginny was in hiding. Whenever Harry entered a room, she made an excuse to leave. This wasn't really all that unusual. She'd done the same thing quite often in the past, only Harry had the feeling that now she was doing it for some reason other than a not so secret crush. Harry's relationship with Ron had taken on a frosty air. Things had not been as bad as the previous November when they stopped speaking to one another because Harry's name had come out of the tri-wizard cup. Still, Ron seemed reluctant to speak with Harry and he had the distinct impression that Ron was hiding something, although he couldn't figure out what. Harry was a bit surprised at Ron's reaction to the news that Harry and Hermione had stated seeing each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. Harry had expected a tantrum from the boy, seeing as Ron was clearly interested in the girl, even if he had no clue how to talk to her about it. Because of this, Harry was very surprised how unmoved Ron was by Harry's announcement at his new relationship with Hermione. Ron seemed almost dismissive of the fact, as if this would shortly return to normal. But what bothered Harry the most was the treatment he'd received from Mrs. Weasley. The woman was clearly very angry at Harry, but he could not fathom why. He had apologized about the incident with the cauldron in the kitchen that had resulted in her breaking a leg and he had also apologized, a little less enthusiastically about pulling a wand on the woman, even if in his mind it had been justified. She accepted those apologies but clearly was still very upset and Harry could not figure out why.

Shortly after sunrise a tray with tea, toast, jam and bacon appeared on one of the many tables in the garden. Harry did not see how it got there, but assumed correctly that Sirius had ordered Kreatcher to bring him his breakfast. After eating, he sat back in a lounge chair that faced the morning sun, closed his eyes and started to make up for the sleep head lost when he'd awoken far too early.

In his sleep, he heard a door open and a girl call out, "Harry? Are you up here?"

Harry awoke with a start after hearing his name. Half awake, he mumbled, "Whosit?"

"Harry, where are you?" the girl called out.

Instantly, Harry knew who it was. He stood and called across the garden to her in an excited voice. "'Mione, I'm over here," In his rush to answer her, he'd shortened her name. He didn't even think about it, although he'd never called her that before. He stood and was stretching his leg muscles as the girl crossed the garden at a jog.

As soon as she reached him she wrapped her arms around the boy and gave him a searing kiss. Harry's hands found her hips and he held her to him. When they finally parted, she told him, "I missed you."

"I missed you too 'Mione," he replied.

Her nose wrinkled for a moment. Hermione detested nicknames. When she had been younger they had always been another way to put her down. "What did you call me?"

"'Mione. I don't know, it just came to me. It seems to fit you. Sorry, I won't call you that, if you don't want me to," he offered.

Mentally, she tested the name. She decided she liked the way he had said it. The affection in his voice kept any bad connotations at bay. And besides her father still called her Pumpkin on occasion, although that was _NOT_ a name she wanted her boyfriend to adopt. 'Mione was a much better option and easily the least offensive contraction of her name she'd heard. Perhaps the exception to the no nicknames rule that she'd granted to her father could be extended to a second person. "No, I like it. But let's just keep it between us, okay?" she asked. Harry smiled and nodded while Hermione took in the surroundings. She too spotted the not so distant park. "Did you see her?" she asked, nodding her head in that direction.

Harry looked over towards the expanse of trees he had been studying in the early morning dusk, and realized she had guessed what he was up to. "How did you know?"

"You never give up that easily. This would be the best place to start. Well that and I'd probably be doing the exact same thing." Harry nodded in agreement. If anything, Hermione was even more stubborn and determined than he was. "So, any luck?" she asked

Harry's answer was noncommittal. "Maybe. I've seen a few flashes of something white over there that looks like it was about the right size." Hermione tensed. Was it possible that Hedwig was still that close by? Not noticing her repose, Harry shook his head at his own observation. "It's just, you know how if you want to see something bad enough you can convince yourself it's there?" Hermione nodded. She could understand that. "I've think I've convinced myself I'm seeing something that doesn't really exist."

"You never know," she told him. She didn't want him to lose hope. "How long have you been looking for her?"

"I woke at five and kept a lookout until about eight. Once it got too light for her to still be out hunting, I had breakfast. I guess I ended up taking a kip in the sun. What time is it?"

"It's almost ten," she told him.

"Yeah. Woke up too early. What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you before Monday."

"I missed you. Last night Mum said I was driving her spare, so she suggested I stop by for a few hours while she and dad were at work."

Harry smiled as he squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you came. How'd you get here?" he asked.

"Professor McGonagall brought me. She'll be back at half three to collect me."

"How did it go with your parents?" Harry recalled that McGonagall was the one who had to work out Hermione's disappearance with her parents.

"Not too well. She explained to them there had been some sort of misunderstanding and blamed it on Mrs. Weasley since she'd kind of put herself in charge here. She told my parents that Molly overstated my need to be here and unintentionally manipulated me into staying. She told them that as soon as she found out what happened, she brought me back home. My parents weren't real pleased, but I'm off the hook."

"So you didn't exactly tell them you were here against your will?" he said.

"No. My parents know that some of the people here are Hogwarts Professors. If they knew I had been here against my will, my parents would have pulled me from school. I do not want that. It also helped that McGonagall told me she'd quit the Order. She's trying real hard to make sure things are being made right for me. When I asked her to let me see you, she was very happy to help. "

"I'm glad you came. I missed you too."

"Good," she said with a mischievous smile. "Something else I've arranged with McGonagall is that she's going to take us out to lunch after your hearing Monday." Harry smiled at this. "Mum's coming along she really wants to meet you again."

Harry swallowed hard. He'd met Hermione's parents only two or three times before. Those times were at the end of the school year when they were picking up Hermione at Kings Cross Station or during hurried shopping trips to Diagon Alley. He realized there must be a reason for her mother's sudden interest in meeting him. He guessed it quickly. "She knows about us?"

"Yes. I told her." Hermione could tell that Harry became a bit worried as she said this. "Don't worry my love, you've got nothing fear from her." She paused a moment while Harry relaxed before she continued. " It's dad who's going to go all protective over me and he won't be there." She laughed as she teased him, pushing into him with her shoulder as they walked in circles around the garden hand-in-hand.

"Thanks, I think," he said dryly. "Hopefully I'll still be free to go to lunch after that hearing."

"Don't joke like that. Besides, I have some more research for you to look at. I dropped the notes in your room on the way up. You can look them over after I leave. I was going to owl them to you but…" She had been so used to Hedwig showing up when she needed to send Harry something that she hadn't given it a second thought that the bird would no longer be there for her.

"No owl." Harry said flatly.

She cursed herself for allowing the conversation to go this way. Her voice shook, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Don't worry about it. I have you and that's what really matters," he told her as he pulled her into another kiss. Harry ran his hands up and down her sides as he kissed her. Harry couldn't really describe her response, but she seemed to radiate when he did this. When they broke apart, he took her hand and continued strolling around the small garden. "I wish we could go down to the park and take a real walk," Harry told her. He knew it was impossible. The Order would never allow it.

Hermione sensed his anger at the situation. She knew how she wanted to resolve it. "After this blows over I want to take you Wythem Woods near my home. It's a 500 hectares wilderness just a couple miles west of Oxford. I used to go there on the weekends when it was too cool to go swimming." she told him. "It's a real woods. I've even spotted foxes there."

"I didn't know you liked to spent time in the outdoors. I always pictured you spending your free time in the library," he teased.

She gave him another playful shove with her shoulder. "You big prat. I love the outdoors." She paused a few beats before continuing. "And besides, the library was on the way." They both laughed at her joke.

"I'd like to see your park when this hearing mess is done." Harry's mood sobered slightly. "Do you really think I'm going to get off?"

Hermione didn't answer right away. She had hoped to focus on the positive but there were contingencies they needed to discuss. She realized now was the time to discuss them. "You have the law on your side Harry. But then so did Buckbeak." Harry flinched at this. The parallels between the two cases were a bit disturbing. Harry tried not to think about how much research she had done for Hagrid in that unsuccessful case. She was doing the same for Harry now.

"And Buckbeak didn't have Dumbledore helping him out. Sirius tells me the headmaster will be at my hearing. He seems to think that will be more than enough."

"That's good. Just in case things don't go the way they should…" she stopped and pulled a wand Harry had never seen before from her book bag. It looked vaguely like his holly and phoenix feather wand. "Monday morning I want you to hide your wand under your mattress and bring this one to the Ministry instead."

"You think they're going to snap my wand," he said, quickly realizing her plan.

"No. I'm just thinking we play it safe, in case the unexpected happens," she explained.

Harry looked at the wand closely. To his eye it was clearly not his wand. It was too thick at the base and the knobs were all wrong. It was also perhaps half an inch too long. But to someone who hadn't seen it on a daily basis, it would almost certainly fool them. "What kind of core does this have?" he asked. The wand felt incredibly weak in his hand, but he had no doubt it was a working wand.

"Dragon Heartstring. But does it really matter? There are maybe a half a dozen people who know your wand has a Phoenix feather core. None of them will say anything if they even notice it's the wrong kind of core in this one," she explained.

Harry nodded. "Just curious. I don't think I could do much magic with it either way. Where did you get it?"

"My guards. Goblins can you get you just about anything for a price," she explained.

Harry looked at the wand again and then pocketed it with his own wand. He spun Hermione half way around and pulled her tight to him. Once more he gave her a searing kiss, "THAT is for looking out for me. You're brilliant Hermione. I would have risked getting my wand snapped, and I really don't think I can let that happen." Without mentioning it, Hermione knew Harry was referring to the way Voldemort's and his wands interacted. He then ticked her in the sides, "and THAT is for thinking I'm going to bullocks up my own defense." They both shrieked with laughter.

She gently slapped him in the arm. "Stop it Potter. No tickling!"

"Ohh, Hermione doesn't like it when I tickle her, does she?" he teased, wiggling his finger towards her.

She shrieked again and Harry let her go. She bolted from his grasp and darted away from him. "You better not!" she said.

Harry chased after her and they were both laughing again. Quickly, relying on is training as a seeker, he caught up to her and pulled her down onto a small patch of grass. He rolled on the way down and cushioned her landing. She rolled onto him and they soon were kissing again with the witch's weight pressing down on him. When Hermione finally needed a breath of air, they broke their kiss. Harry then though about the second part of the threatened punishment for his use of underage magic. "I know you've been thinking about it. What's going to happen if I get expelled? I'm done with magic then, aren't I. I mean I guess I could always apply for a job as Hagrid assistant," he laughed darkly.

"No Harry. Hagrid had no options because of what he is. There aren't a lot of schools who would take in a half-giant. You on the other hand have several options. The Ministry can only legislate in the U.K.. They can't force schools elsewhere not to accept you. Those schools would make their own decisions. There are a lot of other nations who do not take nearly as harsh a view on underage magic as our Ministry does."

"I'd need to leave Great Britain" he said in realization. "But I could go somewhere else like Beuxbaton or Durmstrang?"

"Well, not necessarily those places. Beuxbaton is out because you don't speak French and I only have a passing conversational knowledge of the language. I don't know nearly enough to actually study in the language."

"Wait, what does this have to do with you?" Harry asked.

"Harry, if you leave Hogwarts, there is no reason for me to stay. I'm going wherever you go."

Harry was touch beyond belief by this. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Harry, six month ago the headmaster of that infernal place tied me to a post in the middle of a Mer-village without my permission. Four weeks ago he kidnapped me and locked me up. In the past four years our professors have included a Death Eater, a supposedly reformed Death Eater, and a man possessed by Voldemort himself. And that doesn't include the Professors that aren't evil, only incompetent. _**YOU**_ are the only thing keeping me there."

Harry realized she'd made up her mind about his already. "So what schools are you thinking about then?"

"The Academy of the Druids is the most obvious choice. It's in Ireland, southwest of Galway. There are even better schools in the States. The Salem Witches Academy is perhaps the best…"

Harry interrupted. "I can't go to the Witch's Academy though."

"The boy's school, the Massachusetts Institute of Magic, shares a campus with Salem. The only thing they have that's separate between the two schools are the dorms. They even have a common dining room. So it is an option. Besides that, other good options include the Charmbridge Academy outside of Chicago and the Deschutes School in the Pacific Northwest. BMI near New Orleans is run kind of a like a military academy. Sounds like a slightly more friendly version of Durmstrang that accepts muggleborn students. I don't find it too appealing, if you ask me. A little farther afield is the Sydney School of Magic. Dad has always liked Austrialia. He lived there for three months before he and mum married and he has always talked about moving back. The school term doesn't start until January, so we would have more time get settled in. Also it's a day school, so we'd need to find someplace else to live.

For the next five minutes Hermione rattled off a dozen facts about each of the schools and mentioned two or three more schools she skipped earlier. Harry marveled at her ability to recall the facts she'd picked up so quickly while researching. He was enjoying listening to her go on. She was so much in her element when she was like this. It made Harry happy just to listen.

Harry hadn't taken in half of what she said. Even though he was focused on what she was saying she had just spoken to quickly and had too much information at her fingertips for him to take it all in. As she was beginning to wind down, Harry finally interrupted. "So the question is, where are we going? You're obvious thought about it and have made a choice. I can see that. So just tell me."

She looked at him sheepishly. "Sydney if mum agrees to move there. Deschutes otherwise."

"Not the Druid Academy?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised.

"No. I know Ireland is outside the Ministry's control and the people are very independent from the rest of Britain, but some of the most powerful wizards in the UK also have interested in there. If things go wrong here, I want to be further away from that circle of influence."

"What about Salem?" One fact he did pick up was it was the most highly regarded of the school son that side of the pond.

"Salem is the powerbase for the Colonials. They aren't quite as fanatical as the pure-blood racists we have here, but they are rather staunchly conservative."

"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?" he asked

"In the States, after Deschutes the next school I would consider is Charmbridge. But, they seem to have almost as many mysterious incidents as we did at Hogwarts. I'd rather we go somewhere a bit more quiet."

Harry laughed. "Bring our own troubles instead. That's probably a good idea. Didn't I read something in the Daily Profit about one of their students around year end last?

"Yeah. I recall reading a little about her too. Girl by the name of Alex Quick. Somehow I think it best to keep you two apart. Having the both of you in the same room might trigger Armageddon or something."

Harry knew what Hermione was talking about. From the short piece he'd read, it sounded like this girl attracted trouble as easily as it found him.

Harry was having a hard time coming to terms with this conversation. It was significantly more serious than he could have imagined. It also showed a degree of commitment from Hermione that exceeded anything else she had previous shown or he had ever expected. "Have you discussed any of this with your parents?"

She shook her head. "No. But they're smart. They understand that four goblins are not a permanent guarantee of their security. When Voldemort goes on the offensive, they'll need to move."

"I'm sorry I've put you in danger 'Mione," he said. The thought of leaving her to keep her safe crossed his mind.

She stopped him and put her hand on his chest. For some reason she happened to notice that he was an inch shorter than she was. Malnutrition before he hit Hogwarts likely contributed to his being short. Another reason he was shorter than her was because she was almost a year older than he was. He'd catch up to her very soon. When he apologized for endangering her, he seemed to shrink in front of her eyes. "You've done no such thing. Voldemort would be after me even if we had never become friends. I'm muggleborn Harry. His Death Eaters attack and kill people like me for the fun of it. It has nothing to do with you being my friend. That's how Voldemort keeps his followers in line: by attacking my kind. One day one of his people will come for me because that's what bigots in power ask their followers to do. They focus their follower's attentions on other people so their followers don't turn on them."

"Still you wouldn't be quite so near at the top of their to do list without me. Being my friend will certainly increase their focus on you."

"Perhaps. But I also wouldn't be as ready to face the danger when it comes. I'm far more prepared because of I know you," she said.

"How do you figure that?" she asked.

"With all the troubles you've gotten yourself into over the last four years? You've shown me what I really need to be ready for. Without you, I wouldn't be as focused on DADA as I am. I'd be focused on experimental charms. Because of that I'd also be more focused on Arithmancy. I have time for that stuff later. So now, I want to be rid Voldemort defeated so I can earn a Charms Mastery in peace!"

After that, the serious discussions came to a stop. What they'd spoken about so far had been draining enough. For the next couple of hours the pair focused on each other, communicating less with words and more with touch and feel. By the time Hermione left, they had both gotten considerably bolder in their experimentation and Harry was certain he had gathered a couple new _Patronus_ worthy memories.

oOoOo

**Friday evening, August 11, 1995 - The Office of the Minister of Magic, London**

Deloris Umbridge was a witch of marginal magical talents. She was unattractive. She was hardly the sharpest tool in the shed. A curse she'd suffered in a duel in her 6th year at school that had never been properly cured had caused permanent damaged her sinuses and lungs. She had spent her entire life minimizing those short-coming and accentuating her assets, as limited as they were.

The biggest thing she had going for her was her heritage. She was of pure blood status, so long as you squinted real hard when you looked at her family tree and viewed it from just the right angle. She survived seven years in Hufflepuff with impeccable credentials as a true conservative – an accomplishment she was proud of. Her biggest asset though was the education her father had given her on politics the workings of the Ministry of Magic. He taught her the finest points of surviving and even succeeding in British magical politics. It was a master's course on a career in the Ministry. He taught her when to be careful and when to be ruthless, how to figure out whom she should hitch her wagon to and when to cut them loose. He gave her lesson after lesson on how to play to succeed. Finally he stripped the last vestiges of morality from her. He taught her that any action was justifiable on the way to the top, and once there, any action would be acceptable to remain in power. He had been a second rate barrister from a third-rate family who was never able to climb the ladder to success in the ministry. He'd been made the fool too often early in his professional dealings with the ministry and took on a couple of unwinnable and politically unpopular cases. His career never recovered. His goal was to turn the tables and get what his family had coming to them. His ugly and talentless daughter would be the means to his end. She would outstrip him and outshine them all. He'd been a personal failure. Years of careful training had insured that his daughter would be better prepared when she entered the ministry. When she turned on her embarrassment of father early in her career and forced him into exile, he was happy to know his efforts, at least in this regard, had been successful.

Deloris walked purposely into the Minister of Magic's office. The short simpering witch with the face of a toad smiled at Cornelius Fudge. "Everything has been arranged for Monday morning Minister. Your new junior assistant has been most helpful."

"So it's true? The boy will claim he was chasing off Dementors?" the man asked incredulously.

"So your young man has told us," the witched answered.

"You don't suppose there is any truth to that claim?" Fudge asked.

"Hem, hem," the witch coughed. "Lies, I am sure Minister. I have the warden's logs ready for Monday. They'll show that the guards were all on station Wednesday evening last. As you've said yourself, the boy is a liar."

"True enough. He even had the nerve to spin his most fanciful tails for me. Bold as brass that one. Nothing but trouble. I will be glad to be rid of him."

"I'm glad to help," she said with a smile.

"Have you prepared the notice of change in time and venue?" he asked.

"I have. The notice will be sent before the hearing," she said. It was on her desk now. Ministry rules required such a notice. Due to an apparent oversight, those rules did not stipulate how much time in advance of a hearing that noticed needed to be sent. She had an owl in her office. She'd send the bird off to the Potter boy Monday morning on her way down to the hearing. He would almost certainly be late. So be it. After all, these kinds of things went so much smoother when the defendant failed to appear.

"Thank you for taking care of it. You've done well with this Dee. I appreciate it."

"My pleasure Minister," she simpered.

Fudge's attention towards her flagged. "If you'll excuse me Dee, I have a floo call I need to make then I'll be heading out."

"Of course. Good evening Sir," she said as she turned and left the man's office. The witch was glad to be dismissed. The Minister made many different demands of her over the years. Some were more distasteful than others. When she had been summoned to the life-long confirmed bachelor's office on a Friday evening, she had assumed that he wanted her for one of his less than official meetings. She knew it was those calls that had originally landed her a spot high up in the Minister's office. It was with more than a little resentment that she felt she'd proven her worth and should no longer need to make such visits. After all these years, that task was becoming increasingly less pleasant and she still had blinding headaches as an after affect of taking the Polyjuice he demanded.

She felt fortunate that tonight's meeting had not been one of those calls. As she left, she wondered if his lack of interest had anything to do with the last minute cancellation of a raid on an unlicensed brothel in Knockturn Alley earlier in the week. Perhaps an agreement between the business' owner and the Minister had precipitated that cancellation. If so, she would have to turn up the pressure on the owner. The more that man feared the law, the more willing he'd be to provide the Minister with a generous supply of free services in order to keep himself in business.

oOoOo

**Late Friday evening, August 11, 1995 - The Former Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

Walden MacNair and Stephan Avery entered the upstairs bedroom in the manor and bowed before their master. Neither rose until he signaled them to do so. Despite this unexpected summons, McNair was as relaxed as one could be when He called. Earlier that evening Lucius Malfoy had come unexpectedly and given Him a report on a surprise call he had received from the Minister of Magic. Malfoy appeared almost jovial as he departed. That only occurred when one presented their master with unexpected good news. After Malfoy's departure, their master had kept to himself for nearly half an hour until he had summoned the pair. MacNair wasn't overly concerned with the summons. If it had been bad news, the summons would have come much quicker.

The room He had summoned them to was clean and well lit, if not somewhat sterile. Although the exterior and grounds of the manor were still dilapidated, the interior had undergone a full renovation over the past two months. MacNair knew that the three house elves that he had procured to complete the work had been paid for their service with their deaths.

In this room, a fire burned in the large grayish marble fireplace. On one side of the room was a round table large enough to seat four for dinner. It had already been cleared of the evening meal , with only a single bowl of bread, a pitcher and gold goblet and a brass candlestick with a lit candle at the center. Another table was being used as a desk. It was covered in parchments and plans. The only other bit of untidiness was a large mass of dark brown feathers near one of the six tall windows. Some post owl had the unfortunate luck to have delivered an unknown bit of bad news. It had probably been a rented bird. Few of the Death Eaters were fool enough anymore to send their own owls to the Dark Lord. MacNair couldn't help but notice that despite the glints of gold, the room had taken on the same grayish tones of its occupant.

MacNair heard the doors they had entered the room though close behind them. He suppressed a slight shudder. "Milord. How may I be of service," the scarred and bald executioner asked in a deep voice that carried a hint of a Scottish brogue.

The voice of the tall pale wizard who'd summoned them came out sounding distinctly snakelike. "Lucius had provided Us news of a potentially positive development. Should events come to pass as he has suggested, there will be a change in priorities. I need you to provide me with a list of names of those in the Ministry who are most likely to be amiable to our cause, regardless of their position. I particularly wish you to provide me with a detailed assessment of each department head and their assistants. I wish to know who could be influenced to be of assistance and who would cause us too much trouble. Do not trouble yourself with the Minister's immediate staff. Lucius will provide me those assessments."

"Yes milord. When do you require this information?" MacNair asked.

"At noon on Monday will be acceptable," the wizard known to him as Lord Voldemort answered.

Given the number of employees at the Ministry, a thorough review in that timeframe would be a tall if not impossible order. MacNair knew it would be in his best interest to establish achievable expectations now instead of disappointing Him later. "I will begin locating those who would be loyal to you. But some of those are not known to me. I will make inquiries with those of a like mind that I have direct access to immediately, but with everyone at the Ministry home for the weekend, a full list of those in the proper frame of mind will take a few more days." McNair cringed as he delivered this. 'He' did not take no well.

"That is acceptable. But I want your evaluation of department heads and their assistants by the Monday deadline."

"Yes, Milord," MacNair said with a deep bow.

"Avery, our plans for Azkaban will need to be sped up. How are your discussions with the guards progressing?" Voldemort asked the second man.

"They approve of your offer Milord but are hesitant to act against the orders of their minders in the Ministry. The Unspeakables have some means to control them which I have yet to identify," Avery reported.

"THEN DO SO!" the man hissed loudly.

Avery quailed at the order. He stuttered his response, "I will Milord."

"I want progress by midweek, Avery. Do not disappoint me. You're both dismissed." Behind the two men, the double doors to the room opened.

Both men bowed. They exited the room backing from Voldemort. McNair's steps were considerably surer than Avery's. Neither straightened up from their bow until the doors to His chamber closed again. MacNair looked at Avery in disgust. "Change your robes fool. Everyone can see you've pissed yourself."

# # #

Author's Note:

Alexandra Quick, The Charmbridge Academy and BMI are the inventions of Inverarity. Although none of the usual suspects appear in the stories he has produced, they are some of the finest fan fictions ever written. They are mentioned here out of respect for his fine work.


	6. Chapter 5  Harry Hunting

**Chapter 5 – Harry Hunting**

Consider the Kangaroo. Isn't it the most wonderfully improbable of creatures?

- L.S. Lovegood, aside included in the original draft for the _Teachings on the Ethics Magic, 1__st__ edition_

**Monday morning, August 14, 1995 – The Ministry of Magic, London**

The day was already off to a bad start. The plan had been for Harry to travel to the Ministry with Arthur Weasley. Typically the man arrived at his office shortly after 8 a.m. The plan had been well reasoned as Harry's hearing with Mathilda Hopkirk was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and her office was on the same level as his. The Order insisted that Harry was to travel with Arthur non-magically to make a good impression, not that Harry could see how that would make any difference. He would wait in Arthur's office until fifteen minutes before his appointment and then head to her office. That was the plan. At ten minutes before 8:00 Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks had entered the house on at Grimmauld place in a rush, and plan changed quickly.

"Arthur, Fudge has called emergency session of the Wizengamot. All department heads have been ordered to report. You need to get there now," Kingsley told the man.

This seemed to send Arthur into a panic. "Why wasn't I notified?"

"My guess is it's the charm Dumbledore put up on this place. Must block the post owls from reaching you," the senior Auror guessed. "Best get a move on."

"What'll I do about Harry?" the man asked in his rush to leave.

"Tonks and I will take him to your office. He can wait there until his hearing."

"Yes, good idea," the man said, rushing towards the front door. He was barely clear of the home's front door when the crack of _Apparition_ sounded announcing his departure. A second crack and he was back a moment later. "Forgot my formal robes, as he rushed back up the stiar to the room he was staying at.

Kingsley turned to Harry and ordered him to grab his own set of robes. "I need to be at the Ministry too. I'll be missed if I'm not there, but I'll get you to Author's office beforehand" the man told Harry. "Be quick."

Realizing he was facing almost two hours at the Ministry without anything to do, Harry decided he could use some company. "Without Mr. Weasley there I'll need Hermione to help me get ready for the hearing. Can you pick her up?"

Shacklebolt agreed to do this for Harry, leaving Tonks behind to bring Harry to the ministry.

Harry arrived at the Ministry atrium minutes later with the young female Auror in a rush. He wanted to take in the sights but had no time. Moments later, Hermione was by his side with the large Black Auror in tow. She had clearly not been ready to face the day. She was wearing her school robes over her faded pink jumper. She looked like she had barely run a brush through her hair. She greeted Harry with a hug and a kiss on the lips. The look she gave Tonks afterwards was cold as ice.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"No clue. Arthur got a call for an emergency session of some sort and ran off in a rush. I thought I could use some company before the hearing, and asked Kingsley to fetch you," he said. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," she answered.

"We better get you two to Arthur's office," Kingsley suggested. "I should be present with the Wizengamot in session too."

The four of them were about to head for the golden gated elevators when an official looking owl sped over to the group and circled Harry twice before coming to a hovering stop directly in front of him. Harry offered an arm and the bird landed. Harry took the sealed letter from the bird and it quickly hopped up and flew away. Harry's stomach did a learch when he noticed the familiar seal of the Ministry of Magic on the envelope.

Harry heard Hermione mutter "I have a bad feeling about this," before he opened the envelope.

He started reading the enclosed letter aloud.

_August 11, 1995._

_Dear Mr. Harold Potter,_

_You are hereby informed that the hearing regarding your breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, has been rescheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14. The hearing will take place in Courtroom 10 at the Ministry of Magic. _

_You are permitted to present any witnesses you wish for your defense. Please note that witnesses must be registered prior the commencement of the hearing. _

_Upon your arrival at the Ministry, please present yourself and your wand at the Security Desk in the Ministry's entry level upon your arrival._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Deloris J. Umbridge_

_Senior Undersecretary to the Minster of Magic _

"Bloody hell," was about all Harry could manage. "Got my name wrong too."

Tonks looked at Kingsley and said "Courtroom 10? That can't be right."

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

Kingsley Shacklebolt answered, "Because Courtroom 10 is only used for trials in front of the full Wizengamot."

"Why do I get the feeling I should make a break for it right now?" Harry asked dryly.

"It's already a minute after eight," Hermione pointed out.

"Dumbledore will sort this out Harry. You check in with Eric at the Security Desk. He'll have you in the courtroom quickly. Since the hearings in Courtroom 10 now, Miss. Granger can observe. I'll bring her down myself."

Hermione wanted to give Harry hug for luck but Tonks was already ushering him to the security desk. Hermione and Kingsley headed in the opposite direction towards the elevators without another word.

oOoOo

Harry was led into a large courtroom by two large men in formal red robes. It occurred to him that they looked a bit like the Imperial Guards in one of the Star Wars movies. There was a single chair in the center of the floor. Manacles that rattled ominously were attached to the arms and legs of a single chair in the middle of the room. Harry had been directed to take a seat there. The chair faced five tiered rows of tables and chairs. A podium stood in the middle of the first row. Nearly every one of those chairs was occupied by wizards and witches wearing formal black robes trimmed in red. They all had a gold badge with an ornate 'W' in the center. With only a few exceptions, they also wore a cylindrical hat with a flat top. The sides of the hat were pinched in towards the middle. The first row of seats was at least a dozen feet above the courtroom floor so that Harry had to crane his neck to look at the occupants. A group of four Aurors in their red uniforms stood in the corners of the courtroom floor. Each had their wands drawn and pointed at the ground in front of them. Each stared intently at Harry. Another group of four stood guard near the side passageway Harry had entered to room from. Un-upholstered chairs to the left were filled with witches and wizards in various forms of dress. On one side there were benches filled with another group all wearing formal robes. Most were all black, although a few were trimmed in gold or silver. A goblin in silver body armor sat among those observers. His stare was more intense than the Auror guards'. Harry noticed Arthur near the end of the last row of those observers. Behind Harry was the visitor's gallery. Harry noticed the gallery was filling rapidly. An all too familiar blond haired witch with overly ornate glasses and an acid green pen sat in the front row. As he approached the chair in the center of the room, Harry saw that Hermione was one of the late arrivals at the hearing.

Cornelius Fudge presided over the hearing. He two wore the black robes of a member of the Wizengamot, but he also had a dark purple cape embroidered in gold. The cape was attached with a metal chain and a gold clasp in the shape of a raven. He looked up from the podium and over his glasses at Harry as the boy took his seat. "You're late Mr. Potter."

"I was just informed that the time and location of my hearing had been changed," Harry said nervously.

"You were given the required notice. You should have been here on time." The bowler hat Harry had associated with the man was gone. It made him look significantly more serious to Harry's eyes. He was looking at Harry in a very grave manor. "As it is you have only missed the readying of the charges. I trust you do not wish to waste this body's valuable time by having those charges repeated?"

"No, that's alright," Harry answered.

Percy Weasley, whom Harry had not noticed earlier was seated next to the Minster. He was half hidden behind a two stacks of parchment. A peacock quill was in his hand. He spoke out loudly "You will address the Minister and Presenting Member as 'Sir' or 'Madam'." Harry flinched at the rebuke.

"Did you bring any witnesses or a solicitor with you to this hearing?" Fudge asked.

"I didn't know I was all…."

Fudge cut him off. "Please answer yes or no."

"Yes sir."

"Who do you have with you?" Fudge asked sourly

"I was expecting the Professor Dumbledore sir," Harry answered cautiously.

"Anyone else?"

"No sir," Harry answered. After all, he had somehow expected Dumbledore to take care of such things for him if they had been necessary. The man had, through Sirius, promised to be here and Harry was worried he wasn't here.

"I see you have no solicitor with you. I trust you do not wish to further delay the start of these proceedings and waste our time while you seek one out?" Fudge asked.

"No sir," Harry answered. He figured Dumbledore would be sufficient for the purpose.

If Harry had been faced in the opposite direction he would have noticed Hermione practically jumping up and down trying to get his attention, but she was behind him and out of his view.

"So, you waive your right to a solicitor for these proceedings?" Fudge asked.

Harry paused just a moment so that all that was heard was the scratching of a quill before he answered "Yes sir.,"

He couldn't help but catch the barely restrained smile the Minster of Magic had given. "Very well. At this time I would like to turn these proceedings over to the Senior Undersecretary whom will be acting as Presiding Member. Madam Umbridge, you have the floor. Weasley, please enter her into the record."

Harry saw a short, squat woman approach the podium. He could not help but think that with her broad, flabby face, wide mouth and bulging pouchy eyes and she resembled a large pale toad.

The woman cleared her voice with a "Hem Hem." Speaking with a girlish, high-pitched voice, she began. "Mr. Potter did you, on Wednesday, August 2 at about 8:30 p.m. cast a _Patronus_ charm on Wisteria Lane in Little Whinging, Surrey."

"You see there were..." Harry began.

"Hem – hem." The witch cleared her throat to cut Harry off. "You will limit your answers to the questions I have asked. That was a simple yes or no question. Did you, on Wednesday, August 2 cast the _Patronus_ charm in Little Whinging, Surrey?"

"Yes, Madam," Harry began. There was a sudden outburst of murmurs to this comment.

"So he admits he cast it," she said in a high pitched squeal as she half turned to the assembled members of the Wizengamot.

"Are you not aware, having previously been found in violation the Reasonable Restriction on Underage Magic that you are prohibited from performing magic while away from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

Harry tried to parse out the witch's convoluted sentence. He didn't realize that the extra time he took to consider his answer made him look a bit foolish. "Yes. I'm aware of that," he finally managed nervously, hastily adding on "Madam."

Umbridge continued quickly, "How many times has the Ministry had to step in and deal with Underaged Magic at your Little Whinging home?

Harry though of the time Dobby levitated the pudding over his Uncle's prospective client. He answered quickly "Only once, but that wasn't my…"

Umbridge cut him off. "That's incorrect. The ministry has had to deal with acts of Underage Magic in your Aunt's Little Whinging home not once but twice, the first was on July 31, 1992 when a hovering charm was used on pudding in front of muggles. The Ministry was called in a second time on August 6, 1993 when you, and I quote the official report from the Magical Reversal Office, "Blew up Your Aunt."

"That wasn't my Aunt. It was my Uncle's Sister," Harry said. As soon as he said this he knew it was a mistake.

"Do you admit that after those two events and despite an official warning, you still cast a _Patronus_ charm on August 2 of this year?" Her voice was quick and predatory.

"Yes, I did" Harry answered as he swallowed hard.

Quickly she responded before he could continue, "So, prey tell Mr. Potter why did you fire off a _Patronus_ charm?"

Harry was so flustered now, not having been able to properly answer any questions, he blurted out the one word which would explain it all, for fear of being cut off again. "Dementors." Umbridge raised an eyebrow at him. "My cousin and I were attacked by Dementors."

"That, Mr. Potter, is a lie," she said firmly.

"No, it's not." Harry said in a firm voice.

"SILENCE!" she shouted. "You have not been asked a question. Until it is time for you to present your defense, you are only permitted to speak when responding to a question."

Harry swallowed hard as the chains on his chair began to rattle more violently.

Turning to the Wizengamot members Umbridge said "Mr. Potter is lying. Fortunately Mr. Percy Weasley here was able to obtain information in advance of this hearing that Mr. Potter would make this outrageous claim. Over the last three days Ministry Aurors have fully investigated his illegal charm and found absolutely not one shred of evidence to support Mr. Potter's contention that he was attacked by Dementors in Little Whinging." The witch pulled a dark folder from the desk and held it aloft. She continued, "I have for you here report of the investigation of the events of the evening of August 2, 1995 in question completed by Auror First Class John Dawlish. He was most ably assisted in his investigation by Auror second class Ovid Davis." With a flick of her wand, copies of the report flew from her desk to each of the other black robed members of the Wizengamot. Harry wanted to see a copy of the report but not given one and was unsure if he was allowed to ask for a copy.

The witch continued. "The Aurors interviewed Mr. Potter's cousin, a muggle by the name of Dudley Dursley, who was present when Mr. Potter cast an illegal _Patronus_ charm. I would first like to point out that during their investigation the Aurors discovered that the Dursleys are terrified of Mr. Potter and by extension, magic. They have an unnatural hatred of the subject and it took considerable persuasive effort by Auror Dawlish to obtain this interview with the Dursley boy." This comment was clearly designed to harden the members of the Wizengamot against Harry. "Despite repeated questioning on the topic, the Aurors were not able to identify the source of this family's animosity towards Mr. Potter. Unfortunately, they have been unable to provide proof of any further undocumented instances of underage magic that is the root cause of this fear."

Harry boggled at this statement. The Dursley's hated magic from before the day Harry landed on their doorstep. He had nothing to do with that fact. This Auror's report seemed to imply _he_ was responsible for their hatred of magic. Harry tried to point that out but was instantly silenced. "Tut, tut, tut, Mr. Potter. You've been warned. No interruptions," Umbridge told him.

Umbridge continued. "Auror Dawlish's interview with the Dursley boy on the topic of the events of August 2 was more illustrative. Prior to the casting of the Patronus charm, Mr. Potter encountered young Mr. Dursley and a group of the Dursley boy's friends in a neighborhood park a few blocks from their home. In very short order, the group of friends abandoned Mr. Dursley, leaving him to be alone with Mr. Potter. Unfortunately the investigators have been unable to determine how Mr. Potter ran those other boys off. Once they were alone, Mr. Potter became argumentative and verbally provoked Mr. Dursley. Mr. Dursley walked a short distance away from the park by way of an alley that lead back to their home. Mr. Potter followed the boy into the alley. When they reached the alley Mr. Potter then drew his wand and further threatened young Mr. Dursley. It was during this exchange, after he threatened, harassed and followed the boy out of the park, that that Mr. Potter cast a Patronus charm in the presence of the terrified Dudley Dursley. There was no physical evidence of a Dementor. The Aurors questioning the boy repeatedly asked if he was able to see any creatures in the alley where this attack occurred. Dursley stated categorically that he did not see anything that was supposedly attacking either him or Mr. Potter. But the events did have an effect on the young man. Young Dudley was so terrified by Mr. Potter's attack that he became violently ill immediately afterward. His mother reported that the boy had been so badly shaken that his was out of sorts for two days afterward."

"Following the interview with Mr. Dursley, the Auror's went to all of the neighbor's homes in the area of the attack on the Dursley boy. No one reported seeing anything that even remotely resembled a Dementor. A list of the two dozen residents of Privit drive that were interviewed is attached to the report in your hands."

One of the witches, a stern woman in the second row who wore an eye-patch stood and spoke. "Madam Umbridge, a question please."

Deloris cringed. There were a small number of people who could derail this testimony, and this was one of them. Very politely she responded, "Madam Bones, what can I do for you?"

"This appears to be a critical bit of testimony. Shouldn't we be hearing this directly from the Dursley boy himself?" the woman asked.

"Unfortunately that is not possible. His parent's fear of magic is such that they refuse him permission to enter this building. Furthermore, as the story has been corroborated from more reliable sources. I'll demonstrate, if you'll allow me to continue." Umbridge said.

With a pursing of her lips, the other witch regained her seat.

"Most significantly I have the 'T-72 DIR's' from the day in question. These are the duty logs for the Dementors of Azkaban. As you can see, on Wednesday August 2, there were no Dementor movements in or out of the Caer Azkaban on that day. In accordance with prison procedures, a headcount of the beings was completed that morning at 8:00, sharp. There were 117 of the beings present on the island that morning. Roll call the following morning also showed 117 Dementors present. Those of you who are familiar with the annual Dementor census know that this is the full complement of Dementors in Britain. This report, proving there wasn't a single Dementor within 500 miles Little Whinging on August 2, has been signed by Warden Rodgers."

Harry shook his head unbelievingly. He tried to say, "That's not right," but the words would not come out.

"Now that we have shown Mr. Potter's pack of lies for what they are, a little bit of background…" she began.

"I'm NOT lying. That report is wrong." Harry said. He knew this had begun to go badly wrong and he was wondering where Dumbledore had gone off to.

"Yes you are and we have already proved it. These reports are conclusive. Now if you don't stop with these outbursts you will be removed from this chamber for the remainder of your hearing. But, as you are so eager to talk, answer this one question: When was the first time you performed the _Patronus_ charm in public?"

Harry thought back had to his third year. It took him a moment to be certain of his answer. "It was near the end of our Quidditch match against Ravenclaw a year ago January."

"Thank you Mr. Potter . That is the first honest thing you've said today. I'll have you know that we at the Ministry have already received reports of that event. In fact, esteemed members of the Wizengamot, the son of our own Mr. Lucius Malfoy, was directly involved in that event. The Honorable young Master Draco Malfoy related the details of that event to his father. Mr. Malfoy, could I impose upon you to relate to this body what your son reported to you on this matter?"

Lucius Malfoy, who was in the third row of the Wizengamot members, rose to his feet. "Thank you Deloris."

"Mr. Potter attacked my son with the spell. For reasons beyond my understanding, Potter was taught this unauthorized spell during winter term of 1993 by a professor at Hogwarts. I cannot speak to the motivation behind the Hogwarts staffs' decision for this break with Ministry policy. Unfortunately, Mr. Potter's limited success with these unauthorized lessons appeared to have gone to his head. His house was playing a Quidditch match against Ravenclaw house and he was playing the seeker position. Due to a bit of luck in his favor, Mr. Potter end of the match by catching the snitch. It was at about this same time Mr. Potter caught sight of my son and Marcus Flint, the captain of the Slytherin team, who were together during the match. Mr. Potter cast the _Patronus_ charm directly in Draco's direction. While Draco was not harmed by this, I do know a couple of his friends who were seated with him were quite traumatized buy the event."

Harry jumped up and yelled, "They were all dressed as…" Before Harry had chance to explain that Draco, Marcus, Crabbe and Goyle had run onto the pitch dressed as Dementors, Umbridge cast a silencing charm on Harry. Another charm forced him back into the chair and two chains wrapped around his thighs. Harry began to struggle against them, but they only drew tighter.

Umbridge addressed Harry, "You will not speak unless you are given the floor. You will be given a chance to answer these charges at the end of this hearing. But only if you are not expelled from these proceedings first. Mr. Malfoy, please continue."

"As I was saying before I was interrupted," Lucius Malfoy continued, "My son, Draco believed that Mr. Potter intended to crown his victory by taunting my son and perhaps scare him. Draco doesn't believe that Harry was a big enough fool to believe the charm would do any actual harm. Then again, my son has always been a bit soft hearted." Lucius stopped and gave Harry a smile indicating he knew that his testimony was helping sink the boy.

Madam Umbridge continued. "Mr. Malfoy, are you familiar with the Patronus charm?"

"I am."

"What is the effect of having a Patronus cast upon oneself?"

"It's a harmless spell, not much good for anything, but it can be quite frightening, especially when unexpected," he drawled on.

"So it is your testimony that Mr. Potter has a history of using this spell to frighten others?" Deloris prompted.

"Yes. Clearly he has done so before," Malfoy said with a snear.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy. I think that should be enough to give us an idea why Mr. Potter illegally cast a _Patronus_ on August 2. He first cast the spell to frighten a boy at school. Knowing this had worked as intended on two of young Master Malfoy's acquaintances, he tried the same thing on his cousin during an argument. There was no other reason behind his actions August 2nd past."

Umbridge continued, "Clearly, Mr. Potter is a young man who has often gotten away with things that he should not have. Still, I believe the court should understand a little more clearly what kind of person Mr. Potter is. I do not think there is anyone better for this task than Mr. Potter's best friend. The Presenting Member calls Mr. Ronald Weasley to the stand."

There were several loud gaps as a pair of doors behind Harry scraped open. Harry realized that witnesses apparently entered the courtroom from behind the defendant's chair. Harry craned his head all the way around to see his friend. It was an awkward position for Harry to do this. Ron took a seat in a chair 20 feet directly behind Harry. Harry would have a hard time seeing Ron's or any other witness' face from this position. He did notice Ron was strenuously avoiding Harry's gaze as he entered. His neck getting sore, Harry had no choice but to face forward again.

"Thank you Mr. Weasley for appearing here today," Umbridge begain.

"I'm glad I can help," the young Weasley boy said, his nerves apparent in his voice.

Harry could not figure out how Ron managed to be here. Harry looked over at Mr. Weasley and saw he appeared to be a shocked as Harry by his son's appearance. As Harry was considering this he missed a question. He did catch Ron's reply, "I never gave it much though until Percy talked to me about it, but yeah, some things about Harry are quite unusual."

"Would you please tell us about them?" Umbridge asked in an almost childish voice.

Ron had been coached on this beforehand and knew what he was supposed to say. "Harry's a _Parselmouth_." There were several gasps at this conformation of the rumor that had been spread widely by the Daily Profit the last several weeks.

"Have you seen him using this dark magic to speak to snakes?" Umbridge asked sweetly.

Ron answered nervously. "Yeah. It was during a dueling club meeting in our second year. He was fighting with Malfoy and a snake was summoned. Harry was talking to it in _Parseltongue_ as it made its way towards Justin."

"And Justin is another student ay Hogwarts?" Umbridge asked.

"Yeah. He's in Hufflepuff," Ron answered.

"Very interesting Mr. Weasley. I'm curious, had Mr. Potter been upset with Justin before that attack?"

Ron wasn't sure how she had found out about this. He tried not to show any surprise in his response. Percy had told him to remain calm and answer her questions truthfully. He wasn't even sure that the question was entirely fair, but Percy also said this Umbridge was an important person in the Ministry and he should not embarrass her either by correcting her. He'd also been coached to keep his answers short to avoid confusing the members of the Wizengamot. "Yes. Justin was with a group of 'Puffs that had accused Harry of being the heir to Slytherin a few days before the duel. I don't remember if it was Justin was the one who had said it, but I know Harry was rather put out by the lot of them."

"That you Mr. Weasley. That helps us understand what kind of boy your friend is." For a moment Ron thought he was done. He'd been worried about today's testimony ever since he had found out about it a few days earlier. It wasn't nearly as bad as he feared. He started to rise. "Oh, we're not quite done yet Mr. Weasley," Umbridge said. "Please stay your chair. Now, on another topic, have you ever seen Harry have a fit?" Umbridge asked.

"I'm not sure about fits, but sometimes he does complain about his scar hurting him if that's what you mean," Ron answered.

"Perhaps that is a good way to start. What does Mr. Potter do when these fits overcome him?"

"He usually sucks in his breath and puts his hand against his forehead. If it's bad he'll close his eyes too," Ron explained.

"You mean like this?" Umbridge asked. The woman made a gasp and in a soft affected voice, gave a airy cry of "Ohhh," She gently raised the back of her hand to her head, and pressed it carefully to her forehead while she slightly tiled her head back. Even if most of the Wizengamot members hadn't seen actresses playing at swooning from old muggle movies of from decades ago, they knew the woman was faking the attack. A couple of the Wizengamot members chuckled out loud at the witch's silly dramatization.

Ron didn't entirely get the joke. "Err… something like that," Ron answered. He'd remembered Percy's warnings and didn't want to embarrass the witch by saying contradicting he, and he felt teller he her acting was rather bad would fall into that category. There were a few more chuckles at his answer. Ron was a little nervous at this until he saw Percy smile at him and give him an approving nod.

"When was the first time you saw him do this?" Umbridge asked.

"At the opening feast our first year."

"This was the very day you met him, wasn't it?"

"Yes it was."

"So we can see Harry has been seeking attention since the very start. Mr. Weasley, last fall, didn't you have an argument over Mr. Potter's attention seeking tendencies? Perhaps after his entry in the Tri-wizard tournament?" she suggested.

"Well, I was upset he didn't tell me how he got his name into the Tri-wizard Tournament," Ron said.

"Why did that upset you?" she asked.

"I had told him I wanted to be in the Tournament myself. I was upset he got his name in the cup for the draw without telling me how to do it."

"That's because there was an age line around the cup, isn't that correct? The contest rules stated you had to be 17 to enter?" Umbridge said.

"Yes madam. We were told those were the rules."

"Did he ever tell you how he cheated his way into the tournament?" Umbridge asked.

Ron was getting uncomfortable by the way the question sounded. "No madam. He never put his name in. Someone else put his name into the cup."

"That's what he told you, but you don't know that for certain do you?" she pressed.

"Well yeah. But I believed him." Ron said defending his best friend. He knew in his heart that Harry was not responsible for putting his name in the cup.

"I'm sure you did. Mr. Weasley." She said sympathetically. "We all would like to believe our friends. I would like to ask you about his scar again. I've heard he has said he can use it to communicate with others or know what they are feeling? Has he ever made that claim to you?"

"Well yeah, but not just with anyone. It only happens with You-Know-Who. Harry knows when he is angry."

"That's quite a tale he's told, talking to the dead through a curse scar. I want to ask you about something else you mentioned earlier me Mr. Weasley. You said Mr. Potter was angry at Justin before the snake attack in you second year. And of course he was probably angry at you when you didn't believe him last year about not putting his name in the Tri-Wizard cup.…" she paused.

"That's right madam," he answered.

"Who else has he been angry will? Are there a lot of people.?

"No, not at all," Ron said.

"Really Mr. Weasley? He's never gotten mad at anyone else?"

"We'll certainly he's done so sometimes."

"Could you tell us about some of the other people he's been angry at?"

"Well there would be Justin's friends from Hufflepuff, when they called him Slytherin's heir. Our friend Hermione turned in a broom Harry received at Christmas to Professor McGonagall and he was real angry about that for a while. He's been upset with Draco and those two goons he hangs out with several times, as well as Snape….

Umbridge cut him off at this point. "The potions Master at Hogwarts? He's angry with him?"

"Yes. Quite often for that matter. Harry doesn't like Professor Snape in the least."

"That seems a bit odd. By reputation Professor Snape is one of the most skilled Potions Masters and certainly must be quite a an important Professor because of it. I'm not sure how Mr. Potter could take exception to such a highly respected individual. Tell me, does Mr. Potter only speak badly of Professor Snape or has he gone so far as to attack the professor?"

Ron was about to say no, and then he remembered that Harry had broken his mum's leg with a stew pot only a few days earlier that he had intended to hit Snape with. Ron had no clue how Umbridge had found out about it, but didn't give that much thought. "Yeah, he has attacked Sanpe." This response drew gasps and murmured talk from many other those present."

Harry straining against his chains and tried to say that Snape had drawn his wand first and wounded Deatalus Diggle, but whatever charms Umbridge had cast on him prevented him from speaking. He hung his head down. He couldn't believe how badly Ron was making him look here.

The witch leaned forward greedily. "Where and when did this attack occur?" Umbridge asked.

Ron tried to answer but the words got stuck in his throat, he was soon making gagging noises.

Surprisingly, Percy Weasley interrupted. "Madam Umbridge, I believe that the attack took place at a location that is protected by a secrecy spell cast by Albus Dumbledore himself. For the witness' safety, I suggest that we do not compel testimony from the witness on that matter."

She frowned at this suggestion. She really wished to continue this line of questioning, but knew that one of the few limits on her as the Presiding Member was that she couldn't compel testimony when magical oaths protected those matters. "Very well Mr. Weasley." She turned from Percy to Ron and continued. "The question is withdrawn. How badly did Mr. Potter want to win the Tri-wizard Tournament?"

Ron was gulping air. He took a moment to recompose himself, but was still shaking a little bit from the effects of trying to violate the _Fidelius _ charm that had been placed on Grimmauld Place."He told me he was only interested in surviving the Tournament."

"Yes, yes. That's what he said, I'm asking about what he did. For the first task, I believe he summoned a Broomstick that he used to retrieve an egg, is that correct?"

"Yes, madam"

"The summoning charm is sixth year spell I believe. Do you know when he learned it?"

"I think he learned about the spell from a professor. He learned it just for that task."

"Really? It was a new spell? How long did he practice the summoning charm?" she asked.

"Every evening for more than a week, usually until he was too tired to continue."

"So he trained until magical exhaustion, did do that very often for his school work?" she asked.

"No, not that I recall Madam," he said.

"For the second task, is it true he spent so much time looking for different ways to complete the task that he fell asleep in the school library the night before the task and almost missed the start of the event?" she asked.

"Yes madam," Ron answered.

"I believe Mr. Potter was in second place after that task. I would expect that he may have gotten the idea that he actually had a chance to win the tournament at that point. How long did he train for the third task?"

"He practiced or studied for it all day long for several weeks. Hermione and I helped when we could."

"What did he do to prepare?" Deloris asked.

"When he found out what the task was he started researching spells to use against obstacles he might face. He practiced casting those spells and learning others Hermione found for him."

"Did he do this until he was magically exhausted too," Umbridge asked.

"I suppose."

"Have you ever known him to work that hard on his school assignments?" she asked.

"No madam," Ron answered.

"Does that seem to you to be the actions of someone who is only interested in getting through the task? Or is it more like someone desperate to win the event?" Deloris asked.

"I suppose he might have wanted to win it more than he was letting on," Ron conceded.

"Mr. Weasley, you recently told your brother that you were concerned about Harry. Can you tell us why?"

Ron looked over at his brother, who had a smile on his face as he focused on his notes. "When Percy and I talked about what had been going on with Harry, I told him I was worried. He seemed to be really out of sorts after the tournament ended. He refused to talk to me or Hermione about very much those last few days."

"You say he was out of sorts. Do you think he had become a bit unbalanced by that time?"

"Yeah, I suppose a bit," Ron said sadly, thinking back to an explanation Percy had offered to Harry's behavior at the end of term.

"Have you spoken to him since the start of break? How has he been?" Deloris continued.

"He's been off. The first time I saw him this summer he didn't seem glad to see me, as I expected. Instead the first thing he did was pick a fight with Fred, George and me. He got into a fist fight with them. Scared poor Ginny too and she doesn't scare easily. He even told mum off. He's always been a bit angry, but it seem even worse these days. I'm worried 'bout him and think he might be becoming unbalanced," Ron concluded. The speech sounded a bit rehearsed, but came across well enough because of the truth behind the event he described.

"One other item Ronald, and I assure you that you won't be in trouble for this. Would it surprise you to know that you and Mr. Potter lead your year in both detentions served and points lost for their house?"

"I suppose not madam," he answered.

"Who 's idea were most of those misdeeds? Who was the leader? Was it you or Mr. Potter?" she asked.

Ron thought back to all the times he and Harry had lost points or earned detentions. Slowly he answered. "I suppose that I'm to blame for us taking the flying car our second year, but most of the rest would be because of Harry. Hermione and I usually just followed his lead."

"Thank you Mr. Weasley. You've done very well. You are an exceptional young boy. You should be proud. You are excused."

Ron stood and began to walk from the room. As he stood, few people whom he hadn't recognized began to applaud. It wasn't very many and he wasn't quite sure why they were applauding, but as he left, Ron seemed to be walking a light taller.

After Ron left Deloris continued with her prosecution. "So far we have heard damning evidence against Mr. Potter, but none of these matters on their own are at all that significant. We have seen that he is a habitual liar, delusional and an attending seeker. He is, in the very least, loose with rules. These traits, while worrying, are not crimes in and of themselves, although they do explain his actions on the evening of August second. It must also be abundantly clear to you all that Mr. Potter has blatantly disregarded the Reasonable Restriction for Underage Magic. Clearly he is deserving of expulsion from Hogwarts and the snapping of his wand." Deloris lifted the wand that was taken from Harry by Eric at the Security Desk earlier that morning and grabbed it in both hands, as if readying to break it. She didn't actually follow through with that act though.

By now, Harry's blood was running cold. Hermione had been right. The Potter bashing in the Daily Profit had laid the groundwork for this trial. He had been set up. There was no effort being made to seek the truth. The truth had been manufactured to fit the Umbridge woman's purposes. And that truth was going to see him expelled from Hogwarts. Up in one of the visitor benches was a terrified 15 year old witch who had already reached that exact same conclusion. It was what was said next that cause a chill to run through both Harry and Hermione.

The toadish woman Harry was beginning to fear continued. "Never-the-less, none of this warrants a hearing in front of the full Wizengamot. So I believe it is now time that we get to the crux of this hearing," Deloris focused her gaze on Harry and let the crowd wait for several long second before she continued. "Mr. Potter, June 24th on the final day of the Tri-Wizard Tournament you were the last person to see Cedric Diggory alive on. We know you and Mr. Diggory reached the center of the maze at about the same time where he managed to dispatch an _Acromantula_. The next time young Mr. Diggery was seen, he was dead. Please explain to this body: what was your role in the death of Cedric Diggory."

Harry blanched. So this was their game. He had no idea how high the stakes had been after all. He took a deep breath to steady himself. Despite this, his voice came out thin and wispy. "I had nothing to do with Cedric's death. He was killed by Peter Pettigrew on the orders of Voldemort."

This time he was not interrupted by Deloris by the Minister of Magic himself. Cornelius Fudge rose to his feat and spoke angrily. "My boy, please do not insult this body with your ridiculous claims regarding the supposed resurrection of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We all know that is a pack of lies, just as with all these other fanciful tales you've spun. Within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the third task, two teams of Ministry Aurors went to the exact location you described in this fanciful tale of resurrection and not one shred of evidence was found that anything untoward had happened there. Furthermore, it has now been several weeks since this supposed resurrection, and there hasn't been one hint of activity that could be tied to that long dead wizard. When he was alive, there were attacks several times a week. Now, there is nothing. What do you suppose he is doing now that he's returned? Do you think he's taken a holiday on Miorca or something? If you are going to insist on telling us this cock and bull story, we will be forced to consider it as presenting no defense at all. Now answer the question. What was your role in the death of Cedric Diggery?"

The room went silent. The only sound was a squeak Harry had recognized as coming from Hermione. Harry was terrified. Never once did it cross his mind that Cedric's death might come up today and even less likely, that he would be accused of having a hand in it. He felt as if he was about to be ill. His heart was in his throat.

"Oh look," a familiar voice drawled from the panel. "I think he's about to have a fit." Several wizards laughed unkindly.

Harry had no idea what to do. He was casting about for ideas. He had no answer for Cedric's murder except the truth which the Minister had forbidden him to speak of. Dumbledore was nowhere to be found. He needed to talk to someone, but no one was available. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "I wish to speak with a solicitor."

Umbridge gave him a sickly sweet smile. "I'm afraid that is not possible. Mr. Weasley, please read back this hearing transcript on this matter."

Percy sat up and shuffled back towards the top of a long roll of parchment. Reaching the spot he was looking for he started to read. "Minister Fudge: 'So, you waive your right to a solicitor for these proceedings?' Mr. Potter: 'Yes sir."

Umbridge continued. "There you have it. You've waived your rights to solicitor. Now answer the question."

Harry was heartened to hear a voice cry out, "This is an outrage. He was duped."

Fudge spoke up this time. "Never-the-less, facts are facts. He's waived a solicitor. Question about procedure can be addressed at a later date. Now answer the question. What was your role in the death of Cedric Diggory.?"

Harry calmed himself. "None. Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew minutes before the resurrection of Voldemort."

Harry could not help but recognize the looks of delight on the toad faced woman he had come quickly despise. "Lies! Every time he speaks he lies!" she said in delight. "Let's look at what we know and see if we can divine Mr. Potter's roll in Cedric's death for ourselves."

oOoOo

Kingsley Shacklebolt grabbed the arm of the young witch by his side. "We need to get you out of here now," the man whispered to her. Hermione was visibly shaking in fear, tears streaming down her face. She had been worried that Harry was being set-up. Just like Harry though she never suspected that it would be for this.

"I can't leave him." she said shakily.

"There is nothing we can do for the boy until Dumbledore gets here," Kingsley said sternly.

"Where is Dumbledore..." she sputtered. She had lost her faith in the man when she'd been kidnapped, but even so she felt certain that he would at least come to Harry's rescue.

"I'd love to know where he has gone off to but my immediate concern is you might be that witch's next target. Umbridge is hardly pureblood, but she loathes muggle-borns. Ron didn't do you any favors either. We can't wait for Dumbledore to show up. We'll regroup when he gets here and get Harry out then. But right now I'm getting you out of here before they try and use you for leverage. Hermione rose unsteadily to her feet and Kingsley half carried half dragged Hermione from the courtroom. He didn't stop until she was back in her home in Oxford.

oOoOo

Deloris Umbridge continued presenting her case for another hour and a half. She called on Cedric's father to testify for nearly half that time. Although the man provided no real solid evidence whatsoever supporting Harry's guilt, he was allowed to express he grief at the loss of his only son, subtly blaming Harry for his loss. He did suggest that Harry might have been jealous of his son, pointing out to everyone that Cedric was the only person who had ever beaten Harry at Quidditch. He also testified that both boys had invited the same girl to the Yule ball and she had chosen to attend with Cedric, suggesting another motive for Harry's attack on his son.

A girl Harry could not recall ever speaking to before by the name of Marietta Edgecomb took the stand briefly and reported seeing Harry spending an inordinate amount of time with Alastor Moody during the year. During her testimony, Cornelius Fudge had explained that Barty Crouch Jr. had spent the year impersonating Moody. He also commented that Moody was a close friend of Albus Dumbledore and the Minister questioned how the Headmaster could have missed the fact that his old friend was being impersonated for the entire year. The possibility that Harry had intentionally been shown the killing curse by the imposter at Dumbledore's instruction was strongly hinted at.

The last witness was an Unforgivable by the name Harlin Quey. The man, even though Harry wasn't looking at him, gave the boy the creeps. Quey was an expert I mind arts, a fact that seemed to scare many of the people present. The purpose to his testimony was to tell the court that the type of connection Harry had claimed to have had with Voldemort was not possible. As an expert, he assured everyone that even if Voldemort did exist, which he sincerely doubted, there was no way to maintain any mind link with another without maintaining eye contact. The message behind this testimony was clear. Harry even lied to his best friend as a means to get attention.

After the final witness was dismissed, Deloris Umbridge rose to summarize the case. "Mr. Potter. This court has heard testimony that you were the last to see Cedric Diggory alive. He was apparently killed by a curse you were shown month earlier by Dumbledore's hand-picked defense teacher. We have heard of your craving for attention and desperate desire to win the Tri-Wizard Tournament. You had motive. You had opportunity. No one else COULD have done it. There is no other possible conclusion. The Presiding Member hereby moves that the charges against Mr. Potter are to be amended. Mr. Potter you are herby charged with the murder of Cedric Diggory. What do you say to these charges?" The witch waived her wand, cancelling the charms that kept him from speaking earlier.

"I'm innocent. I did not kill Cedric. Near the end of the third task I saved him from an attack by Viktor Krum. At the end we worked together to defeat an _Acromantula._" Harry said desperately.

"Then kindly explain how the boy died," Fudge said in exasperation.

"We both were _portkeyed_ to a graveyard…" Harry started.

"That is a LIE Mr. Potter," Deloris Umbridge said.

"It is not. Minister Fudge was told all about it by Professor Dumbledore. He refused to believe it and

wanted the whole thing forgotten. He had Barty Crouch Jr. kissed to keep him from talking. You made up your mind before you even spoke to the man."

Fudge banged down the gavel hard "You are crossing into the realm of slander her Potter! Don't make me add further charges against you. You're already in enough trouble."

"It's the truth! If you don't believe me ask Madam Pomfrey the Hogwarts School nurse. She was there!" Harry shouted back at the man.

Fudge banged down the gavel again. "Denyed! You did not register her as a potential witness at the start of the hearing."

"Then bring back Ron. He was there too," Harry countered.

"That's not permissible either. He is a minor. We do not subject witnesses who are minor children to badgering and harassment in this courtroom." Fudge said.

"They how am I supposed to defend myself against these made -up ridiculous charges? Every statement I make either you or that HAG shouts down with her unfounded accusations of my lying. I'm not allowed witnesses. Do I have any rights at all? This hearing is a joke!"

Fudge rose and stared the boy down. "Add three counts of contempt to the charges. You will give the Wizengamot, the Presenting Member and myself the respect we are accorded by our position or we will conclude these proceeding without your presence. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Harry answered coldly.

"To answer your earlier question, you only have one registered witness. He is the only one you may call," Fudge informed him.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, clearly confused.

"Albus Dumbledore. At the start of this hearing you stated you expected Albus Dumbledore to appear on your behalf. You may call him for your defense."

From the way the Minister spoke, Harry had the feeling that that was exactly what Fudge had wanted him to do. Still, it was his only choice. "Very well. I have no clue where he is. But I call Albus Dumbledore."

Fudge smiled. "Auror's, please bring Albus Dumbledore from the waiting area to the witness stand."

Harry slumped into his chair. Based on the way the rest of this hearing had gone he had a bad feeling that this was not likely to make things any better for him.

oOoOo

Albus Dumbledore sat quietly in one of the witness' waiting rooms near Courtroom 10. He could not recall the last time he had been prevented from participating in the proceedings in those chambers. He had certainty missed his share of hearing and trials over the years, but those absences had been voluntary. This absence was not. Upon his arrival this morning he had been gently told by a very scared young Auror that the acting Chief Warlock had disqualified Albus from participating in today's session due to a conflict of interest. After saying that he had intended to speak on Harry's behalf, he'd been ushered into this waiting room. Sitting in that room was the final proof of something he'd been well aware had been occurring over the entity of the summer. He'd been effectively marginalized. His voice no longer mattered. The knowledge of that left a bitter taste in his mouth. That this failing had occurred at such a critical time alarmed the old wizard.

He had spent much of the summer trying to regain his dwindling influence. He had failed on all accounts. Meetings were canceled. No amount of lobbying could prevent it. He had tried to gather a core of followers about him. Allies, meaningful ones at least, vanished without a trace. The few people that he did have in his corner were marginal at best. The only person of any importance at all who had chosen to follow Albus was Kingsley Shacklebolt. That man had told Albus to shove off after the debacle Severus had created by attacking Harry. The remaining membership of his once vaunted Order of the Phoenix was a ragtag bunch of has-beens and never-weres.

He had pondered how things had gone so badly wrong. He had certainly made a number of mistakes over the last four or five years, but he decided that his final failing, the one he had not been able to recover from, was speaking in front of the International Confederation of Wizards about Voldemort's return. At the start of the summer, his reputation was in better shape internationally than here back home in Brittan. He had counted on that goodwill to garner aid in readying his stand against Voldemort. Where he had erred was in underestimating the ICW's isolationist tendencies. The body had an ironclad tendency towards national sovereignty. Their position was so long as any troubles remained domestic, they were loath to interfere. Albus had tried to convince the attending representatives that if Voldemort took power any troubles Brittan faced would soon become an international problem. He also tried to appeal on the members' altruistic nature. His arguments fell on deaf ears. The backlash frm that failed attempt cost him his position as the Supreme Mugwump of the body.

At the time he considered the loss of that position to be inconsequential. With less time spent in that arena, he felt he might be able to devote more time on domestic affairs. Albus was wrong there. The ICW was the first domino in a chain that had seen him stripped of all power and influence in the ministry. The ministry was unwilling to retain a Chief Warlock who had been humiliated in Antwerp. There were, he reflected, an appalling number of people willing to kick the man when he was down.

Still, fence mending had occupied his time greatly until mid-day the previous Friday when he learned Umbridge had taken over Harry's prosecution. With that development he knew that success in reparing his reputation was unlikely as it lie in the hands of the Wizengamot. Since that news had arrived, Dumbledore had been trying to figure out his next move.

Over the weekend he'd considered and discarded the idea of marching out and finding Voldemort himself and dispatching the man. If his suspicions were correct, the man was invincible and the best he could hope to achieve was to return him to the shade state he had survived in for 13 years. Albus somehow suspected that the man would have focused on contingent plans since his resurrection and it would not take another 13 years to regain a body.

Perhaps he could do exactly was Cornelius most feared. A takeover of the Ministry, by force was possible. Even now Albus examined his magical core. Over the years his studies of magics had made him intimately aware of the source of his own magical power. His core was at it's strongest this morning. He may be well past his prime but he still had significant elemental power under his control. Focus on those elemental magics and he could still do great deal of damage. Mentally, he was sizing up the strengths of the Aurors that would likely be present in the courtroom. With a blatant disregard of human life, he could easily use his command of fire and air to overpower the eight or so Aurors standing guard, especially if he could maneuver himself to a spot where he was roughly equidistance from each of the officers. The more senior Aurors who sat in attendance would likely be in the second row of the employee's gallery. They almost always sat together. Following the initial attack with a version of a large area bubblehead charm wrapped about an air vanishing spell and they would mostly suffocate. If he collapsed the charms at the right moment, many might survive after merely falling unconscious. No more than a dozen members of the Wizengamot would likely raise a wand against him. He pictured where they each sat. Six, no seven fireballs and they would be stilled. He mentally walked himself though that portion of the attack. He figured he could achieve that goal in just under five seconds. If no one suspected it, he might well do that much without falling into defense spell casting. If he succeeded at that, then he would more likely than not pull off his coup. After that he would need to take out another half dozen members of the body who would have the financial and political means to raise up a resistance afterward. The wild card of course was the visitor's gallery that would be to his back. There would certainly be one or two Aurors hidden in that crowd. It was the counter attack from that quarter that was the most worrying. Upon entering the courtroom he would have very little time to assess that risk. He would very likely miss something that would lead to his downfall from that quarter. But if he succeeded, at that point he would have control of the Ministry's governing body. He tried to figure the odds of success. He replayed the scenario several times in his head. He had perhaps one change in three. Most likely, casualties would be perhaps under one in six of the 375 people the courtroom held. If the resistance exceeded his estimate of their capability, then half the people in the room could easily die. Fire spells could be unpredictable in the best of circumstances. After that he would need to make it to the Auror's office ahead of the news of his attack. Would anyone in the corps give him quarter and take charge of the unit, or would he need to wipe them out too? That would depend on who survived his initial attack in the courtroom. Albus considered several scenarios and concluded whatever survivors from the Aurors there were, he would be required to use the _Imperius _on them. Without an Auror corps, he would effectively be wiping out the Ministry instead of taking it over, which was not an ideal solution.

Albus considered this plan for several minutes. Despite the horrific loss of life at his hands, it was the easiest way to prevent Voldemort from becoming stronger and doing much worse. But with Albus in power, he could implement so many positive changes. If he succeeded, he could improve their society by leaps and bounds.

Finally a frown crossed his face. So often in his life he had thoughts such as these. Hadn't he learned his lesson all those decades ago? It was because of thoughts such as these he knew he couldn't be trusted with a mantle of power. Despite his intentions he could always do so much more harm than good given the opportunity. Everyone was so much better off with him in the role he was better suited. One of the puppet master, where someone else's hands were on the reigns to keep him from acting on his own worst follies.

That was why he wanted nothing more than to regain the ear, and ultimately control of the current Minister. There was a time when Cornelius would have a flock of owls flying back and forth between their respective offices seeking the man' advice. Unfortunately Albus had grown tired of the odious man several years past. Lucius Malfoy had somehow sensed this and filled the gap Dumbledore had left open as the Minister's confidant and advisor. Soon thereafter Fudge had started to believe his own press releases regarding his own competency. Perhaps all he had left was one more try to convince the man he was wrong. That was all that he had left to work with. If he failed here, he would be back in square on in his quest to finally end Voldemort for good.

To achieve that it was time to cut his losses. Severus had been of limited value as a spy since Voldemort's return. He would need to cut Severus loose. His attack on Harry had fractured the Order. He had only a week or two to figure out how to do so without driving the man into the waiting arms of Voldemort where the man could still do a great deal of damage. The thought of killing the man turned his stomach. Severus had redeemed himself in Albus' eyes and it would be cruel to discard the man carelessly.

As far as today's hearing went, he decided he would also need to leave the boy's fate in his own hands. The outcome was hardly important. The charges were groundless. Albus knew that even without his help young Miss. Granger had been able to construct a valid defense. If somehow Deloris did manage to expel the boy from school despite that fact, Harry could remain in Grimmauld place under Sirius and Remus' tutelage. If Albus could only find someone to teach the boy _Occlumency_, then Albus would be able to take Harry directly under his wing as an apprentice. He only hoped the boy had the good sense not to allow his wand to be snapped.

Much later than he had expected a red robed Auror finally interrupted his silent ponderings. "You've been summoned into the courtroom Headmaster."

Albus smiled at the man in his mid 20's. "Thank you Stubbins." Albus was not offended by the use of his title in the least. So many young men and women had known him primarily in that role that he knew it wasn't a reflection on the loss of the other titles he had held weeks earlier. The genial man slowly made his way into the courtroom. Upon entering, he immediately realized that the tension the room was significantly higher than he had anticipated. That Harry was being restrained in the defendant's chair increased his level of concern. The man quickly chided himself as he started to scan the visitor's gallery for threats. He noticed that Kingsley, his most likely ally from the Auror corps, was missing from the room. Without that man, control of the Auror's would be improbable even if his plan had been a palatable one.

The Auror Stubbins lead the man to the witness chair but Albus remained standing. Taking two steps forward he fixed his eyes on the Minister of Magic. "This is quite an assembly for a simple case of underage magic, is it not Cornelius?"

Fudge dismissed the comment and looked over his glasses at the old Headmaster. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are here to provide testimony regarding Mr. Potter's role in the death of Cedric Diggery. Mr. Potter has been charged with Mr. Diggery's murder. This court requires any information you have surrounding the murder of that young man."

Albus answered gently as a grandparent would to a wayward grandchild. "Don't be foolish Cornelius. Mr. Potter had nothing to do with Mr. Diggery's unfortunate passing. We've discussed this matter at length. Cedric was killed by Peter Pettigrew prior to Voldemort's resurrection ritual."

Deloris Umbridge answered this charge "We've already considered and dismissed evidence to that effect. The court has been presented definitive proof that Mr. Potter was the only one present when Mr. Diggory was hit with the killing curse."

Albus took another step forward, now with his hat in his hands. "Cornelius I beg you to reconsider."

Fudge spoke firmly, "We've been over this ground before Albus. He hasn't come back. It's not possible."

"It is not only possible. It has happened." Dumbledore said, with a strong emphasis on the final word. There was an undeniable authority in his voice.

"Albus, I warn you to desist from this line of argument," Fudge told the headmaster.

"I will not desist from the truth. If you act now you can minimize the damage from his return."

"Albus!" the Minister said angrily.

"I beg you. Accept the truth. Voldemort has returned. You must act now based on that fact. Rid the Azkaban of the Dementors. They are Voldemort's natural ally and will return to him those followers you now hold. Reach out to the giants and werewolves packs before he does!"

"You're a fool Albus. Our people can sleep safely at night because they guard that prison. And I will not treat with dark creatures." Cornelius gestured at the assembled Wizengamot behind him. "They'll have me out on the street if I followed you advice. Or is that or plan all along? Move me out of the way so you can take over? You know you're hardly the next in line for this position anymore."

Albus internally cringed at the accusation. "I don't want your position. I want you to stop Voldemort before he regains any of the power he seeks. He must be stopped now while he is still weak."

Fudge seemed to contemplate this. He may have been standing firm but was concerned over the possibility Dumbledore was telling the truth. If he had doubts, did any of the others present also share those doubts. He had to make sure his position was secure. He had another card to play. Percy had provided him with a bit of information that had yet to sufface. He hoped he was making the right decision. "There is one more matter with regards to Mr. Potter's actions at Hogwarts that I wish to discuss with you. Did you, on June 9, 1994 instruct Mr. Potter and another student to free the murder Sirius Black from a locked tower at Hogwarts or was that action of their own doing?"

Albus realized the weight of the question. Once more the stakes in this game had increased. "Sirius is innocent. It would have been an injustice to have the man kissed."

Fudge looked at the man and spoke slowly, "Yes or no Albus. Did you instruct Mr. Potter and an impressionable muggleborn girl to assist in the escape of the murder Sirius Black?"

Albus paused. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage and correct an old wrong. "I did suggest the means to their doing so and gave them the opportunity, but that is beside the point, you need to face facts…"

Fudge interrupted him over the shouts and gasps of the people present. "The facts are these Albus. You have committed a felony in helping the most dangerous man alive to escape justice. You are under arrest for aiding and abetting the murder of James and Lily Potter after the fact. Aurors, arrest the man!"

Harry looked towards Dumbledore, who refused to meet his eyes. Harry could not read the expression on the old man's face. Without warning, Dumbledore's phoenix Fawlks flew into the in the courtroom and landed on the old man's shoulder, a split second later, both were gone.

Harry closed his eyes and made a quick wish. He opened them and looked around the room, in the hopes that Fawlks would soon return for him. After a minute of stunned silence, it became apparent the bird would not return for him. Harry was on his own. To seal the matter Umbridge stood and shouted at the nearest Auror's. She must have had the same thought he did. "Guards. Wands on Potter. If that bloody bird shows up you are ordered to fire a killing curse at it. Reborn Phoenixes can't carry weight for a day or two. And use any mean necessary to see the boy doesn't not leave this room."

After several minutes the pandemonium died down. Finally, Deloris Umbridge regained the podium "Well there you have it. Mr. Potter, I take it you are finished with your defense."

A still red faced Fudge interrupted the witch. "Before we continue with the next stage of this trial, I would like to add a few comments. It is clear to me that the boy cannot be fully blamed for what has happened. Oh certainly Albus Dumbledore has indulged him and allowed him liberties. We have evidence that the fugitive Dumbledore authorized training the boy in more than one spell he should not have, and we see the damage that has resulted in. His handpicked defense teacher showed the boy the killing curse. I think it is only fair that before we pass judgment on Mr. Potter we need to examine the influence Albus had on the boy and his role in this sordid mess. The question being, was Mr. Potter here the mastermind or the pawn in these matters. Mr. Potter, we will give you one last chance to give us a reason to show you leniency. Mr. Potter. What role did Albus Dumbledore play in the murder and cover-up of Cedric Diggory's death?"

Harry, who had been staring at his lap looked up at the Minister. He now had his out. Dumbledore had betrayed him one last time. Instead of protecting Harry and helping him in this matter, he had wasted the opportunity and moved his own agenda. Harry had no loyalties left to the man. He was free now to do what he must. He hesitated only a moment and sighed. Fudge, thinking Harry didn't understand the question started to ask again. Defiantly, Harry sat up straight and looked the Minister in the eye. "That bloody good-for-nothing old codger had NOTHING to do with Cedric's death. I wish I had it in me to lie and say it was him, but I can't. He is entirely guiltless in this matter."

Pandemonium broke out in the chamber, and a pair of reporters in the gallery bolted for the doors. "SILENCE!" Fudge yelled to quiet the crowd. Mr. Potter you're wasting an opportunity here. Whose idea was it to lie and blame this mess on He-who-must-not-b-named, yours or Dumbledore?"

"It wasn't a lie. It was the truth…"

Frustrated, Fudge cut him off. It was clear now the man wanted Dumbledore more than Harry. "Strike that question. Did Albus order you to win that Tournament at all costs?"

"No," Harry said.

"Did you kill Cedric Diggory on your own in order to win the Tri-wizard Tournament?"

"I have been nothing but truthful. My refusal to lie and implicate the Headmaster should prove that to you. I tell you I did not kill Cedric Diggory."

Harry had though his declaration would carry weight. Any such thoughts were defeated by the derisive laughter of Lucius Malfoy and a number of other wizards seated near the man. Others began to talk among themselves.

Fudge banged his gavel several times until the crowd quieted. "I think a five minute recess before we vote is in order."

oOoOo

"It's a done deal Minister. Longbottom is stirring up a bit of trouble, but she'll be lucky to get 18 votes from her block. Marchbanks went upstairs to pull the records of that stupid house-elf's use of magic in the boy's house in 1992. She's still claiming the change of venue is invalid and wants to use that as an excuse to invalidate this entire trial. Bones went with her. They won't find it the files. They're in my office and Bones will likely miss the vote unless she gives up that fruitless tactitc. Lucius has his block in line and they have their thumbs on everyone else. Absolute worst case, 70-30 to convict. More likely it will be closer to 80-20."

Fudge sighed "I can live with thosenumber . It's as clear decision as possible under the circumstances. No controversy. I like it. Well done Deloris."

"Thank you Minister. You'll need to do something about Marchie though. She's livid about this whole thing. Might be time to retire her or she could make trouble in the future. Bones also looked ready to spit fire. Something should be done about her."

Fudge nodded at his most ruthless Deputy. I'll consider Marshbanks when we're done here. You know I can't oust Bones without cause. She has too many friends in too many places."

"Yes Minister. Now as to the boy's punishment, I'll have the dementors ready. He can be kissed at the conclusion of the trial."

Fudge was appalled. "Kiss him? I think not."

"Don't be weak Cornelius. This is a chance to end that little brat's sedition. Mark my words If he lives he'll spawn supporters one day."

Fudge considered her recommendation and Dumbledore's warnings. He was certain the old coot was full of it, but on the off chance he was right, then perhaps Harry might play some vital role down the line. This thought, was not a line he'd consider discussion with the woman. "No Deloris. The evidence, although compelling, is circumstantial at best. I commend you for the way you put it together, but I do not want this case to come back and bight me in the ass. If somehow something does come up to clear the boy, I do not want to be forced to release and pardon a soulless husk. It's Azkaban for the boy. Harry does not get kissed." He took half a step towards to her and his voce became more serious. "And no accidents this time. You understand me?"

"Yes Minister."

Deloris didn't much mind. She'd heard what happened to Harry when he was around the demeanors at Hogwarts. The boy was more susceptible to them than most. She was certain he'd be dead within six months. Perhaps a slow death was better anyways and it didn't leave a soulless body the ministry was required to feed.

oOoOo

Deloris noticed that Harry's demeanor had changed during the recess. The fear, confusion and despondency he'd clearly shown was gone. He sat up straight, despite the uncomfortable restraints on his chair, and had a cold look in his eyes. He appeared ready to face his fate. As she entered, his eyes trailed her. He had realized it had been her that had orchestrated his conviction. As the proceeding continued his eyes never moved. Despite the fact that he was clearly listening to the vote, possibly taking inventory of those who had acted against him, his eyes never left her. His stare bored into her. He didn't blink once during the roll call. The final vote had been closer than Umbridge had predicted, 66 to 30, but still above the 60% required to convict Harry.

Moments later, when Cornelius Fudge pronounced his sentence, 25 years in Azkaban, the boy didn't even flinch. He didn't even seem to notice the snapping of his wand, which had sat the entire time on the Chief Warlock's lectern. During this entire proceeding Deloris Umbridge had wanted to order the boy to look somewhere else, but knew she couldn't do so. She barely heard Fudge ask Harry if he had a final statement to make before he was taken away. She had never expected Harry to answer.

Deloris hated to hear such statements anyway. They were always the same sort of pathetic excuses and apologies, or at times wizards laying the groundwork for case of an early release. She had not half expected that from Harry. She was surprised when he started to speak.

In a calm calculating voice Harry said, "I have just one thing to say. I have taken note of who has prosecuted this farce of a trial and which of you has voted me guilty. One day, very soon, Voldemort will reveal his existence to you all and I will be proven innocent. When that happens, when this gross miscarriage of justice if revealed, I can promise you all there will be a reckoning. Madam Umbridge, I pledge now that I _will_ hunt you down and you will be one of the first the first to pay."

Many gasps were heard in the chamber. The Auror's by Harry's side grabbed his arms roughly, barely waiting for the chains to release him and dragged him towards the passageway leading towards the holding cells.

As Harry was being dragged away, his composure cracked. He kicked, cursed and threatened the witch. Hearing this, Umbridge jumped to her feet and started to yell "See? See what I told you? Take that lying brat away! May he rot in Azkaban. He's getting what he deserves!"

As the commotion continued, there were several witch and wizards, both those who voted to convict and those who voted to acquit who wondered if they would regret these events sometime very soon.

oOoOo

Ron was having the day of his life. He hadn't stayed for the end of the trial, but understood that Harry had gotten what Percy said was 'expected and for the best.' Before the trial was even over, Ron had spent half an hour being interviewed by the press. His friends had never spoken well of the writters, but Ron had really enjoyed their attention. After the trial ended, his estranged brother Percy had taken him to lunch at the fancy private Ministry dining room that was reserved for the Minister, his guests and direct staff. 'Dad isn't allowed to get to lunch here', Percy pompously explained to him. The portions were a little sparse, but tasted great. Afterward, Ron took his new broom, a Nimbus 2K for a spin. The broom had been a promised gift from the Minister of Magic himself for Ron's having successfully testified in front of the entire Wizengamot. Percy and the Minister had told Ron he done very well at the trial. Ron was happier about the gift than the high praise. The broom wasn't a Firebolt of course, but Ron knew from his detailed studies of _Which Broomstick_ that this was the top Keeper's broom currently on the market. As he had put the broom through the paces of quick stops and starts and blazingly fast changes in direction, Ron was rather pleased with himself for admitting to Percy he had aspirations to be Gryffindor's keeper now that Oliver Wood was gone from the school. All in all, Ron reflected that he was quite happy that his brother had kept in touch with him over the summer despite Percy's public split from the rest of the family.

Now Ron was off to collect his final prize. This one wasn't going to be handed to him quite so easily, but after the rest of his successes today, he didn't see how things could possibly go wrong. Some minor functionary from the ministry had apparated Ron to a train station in eastern England, with a promise to collect the boy in three hours. From there it was a quick 20 minute walk to his destination. What he saw when he arrived had surprised him.

The Granger home was a beehive of activity. Two Goblins, not a sight one would expect at the conformable suburban home in the outskirts of Oxford, guarded the front door of the home. Six more were hidden in and around the property. The combined warnings of the formidable Kingsley Shacklebolt and a heavily armored Goblin warrior had convinced the family that they had best duck out and lie low until things had shaken out at the Ministry. Between those in the Ministry out to get Harry and the resurrected Voldemort, Hermione made an appealing target, they both explained. Because for this, a summer holiday to the Med that was cancelled when Hermione had been taken to Grimmauld Place was reinstated, although a change in location to another, much quieter part of the French Riviera was made. Hermione's parents were hastily packing the home for an extended absence. This task was taking longer than usually as the family was also packing away photo albums, family heirlooms and other items they would not want to lose to an attack. They had been cautioned things could be quite dangerous for them in the near future. They were assisted in this task by Hestia Jones and a teary eyed Minerva McGonagall.

Arthur Weasley and Augusta Longbottom had both paid visits earlier in the afternoon, each reassuring the family that everything was being done to track down Albus Dumbledore and to obtain Harry's quick release from custody. There had even been a brief glimmer of hope initially that he would be held at the ministry pending an appeal, but that promise had died a quick death.

And in the midst of it all sat an inconsolable Hermione Granger. She was seated on the corner of the living room couch, her feet up on the cushions, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face pressed hard against her crossed arms. Every few minutes she let out a wail and would be racked with tears. These physical outbursts of grief were often accompanied by bouts of accidental magic. Those had caused the destruction of a grandfather clock, the old upright piano she had learned to play as a young child and several other pieces of fine furniture. When she settled down from those attacks, her mother would carefully approach her and wrap her in a tight hug until the sobbing subsided, after which Helen Granger would resume her packing.

This was the scene that greeted Ron Weasley. Sidestepping the glaring goblins at the partially open front door, the boy knocked and looked in. "Hermione, what's going on? Dad sent me a note saying you were leaving?" As he looked around the half ruined living room, he didn't see Hermione head snap around or the glare she gave him. "It's a shame about Harry being expelled an all", he said casually in an off-handed way. "Anyway," the boy continued more quickly, "what a day I've had. I'll tell you all about it, but first I wanted to ask you, you know, now that Harry's gone, if you would be interested in being my girl…"

Ron never had a chance to finish his thought. He'd been so distracted by the ruins of the living room that he never saw Hermione charge at the boy. Upon reaching him, she cracked him in the head with a right hook that was considerably stronger than the one she had laid on Draco Malfoy a of couple years earlier.

Ron fell-over backwards and after landing on his backside, sat up and grabbed his jaw with his free hand. "Hermione, what has gotten into you?"

Crying she told him, "I heard everything you said at the trial you, good for nothing son of a bitch! How dare you tell those lies about Harry."

Ron looked at her, shock at her language. "I never said one thing that was untrue," he stammered in replay.

"You betrayed him! He was your best friend!" she screamed.

"Betrayed? What are you going one about," the confused boy asked.

"They convicted him of murder based on _your_ testimony."

"Can't be. I never claimed he killed anyone. You must have misunderstood. I just told them he was unbalanced."

"HE'S NOT UNBALANCED!" she shouted.

"Well, he's off his rocker. Hearing voices all the time. They're going to make him better, Percy told me. They're just sending him to St. Mungo's for a short stretch I'd imagine." Ron explained carefully.

"You fool! You stupid, stupid boy. They don't send convicted murderers to St. Mungo's." Hermione shouted.

Ron's thoughts were beginning to catch up with the information he was being presented. "Wait a tick. Who'd they say Harry kill anyway?"

"Cedric Diggery," Hermione hissed.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, sounding confused. "I thought Voldemort had done him. Nah, can't be. You must heard wrong. He's off to St. Mungo's."

"They're sending him to Azkaban you bloody fool!" the girl yelled down at the boy, her face beet red and her fists balled in rage.

"Nah, they wouldn't," Ron replied, unbelieving of Hermione.

"They already have," said the disapproving voice of Minerva McGonagall, who had entered the room in a rush order to separate Hermione from the boy.

The head of Ron's house at school was giving him the sternest glare he'd ever seen from her, and if anything, the look of rage on Hermione's face was even scarier. Comprehension of the gravity of the situation finally showed on Ron's face. "Azkaban?" One look at McGonagall finally convinced him of the truth. "Really?" he said in a defeated whisper. "I didn't know."

In a flash Hermione's wand materialized in her hand and she pointed it at the boy. Only McGonagall's quick reflexes saved Ron from whatever curse had entered the girl's mind, as she forced the girl's wand-tip up toward the ceiling. Whatever the curse was, a large chunk had been blown out of the ceiling.

"You're mental," a shocked the wide eyed boy said to the witch. He was fingering his pockets, apparently searching for his wand. At this, the two Goblin guards stepped between the pair, pointing hastily drawn swords at his chest.

"Take off his HEAD!" she shouted in rage at the two guards, causing Ron to scramble backwards.

The goblin warrior shook his head no. "As much as our blades sing for this traitor's blood, we cannot do so unless he's physically threatening you."

The goblin then took one step to the fallen boy. "Traitor!" The goblin had used the insult as if it were a title. "Your clan, the Weasleys, are banned from our institutions. Pass the word to your clan head. If any of your family trespasses on Goblin property, they shall be executed."

Ron found this hard to believe. "Fat lot you know. My brother works at Gringotts. He's one of your top curse-breakers." Ron didn't hear the Goblin guard scoff at this statement. "He'll straighten this out," Ron continued.

"He does not work for the Goblins of Gringotts anymore, Traitor. We do not employ those from families with no honor. Should your brother or his intended return to our lands, they will die. You might wish to warn them." The smile the armor clad warrior gave Ron when delivering this message was positively feral. Ron swallowed hard at the thought of having to tell his brother he might have cost him his job. He also would try to remember to ask him what these 'intentions' of his were that the goblin had mentioned.

"Now, be gone from this place," the goblin ordered.

Ron turned to Hermione and gave her a pleading look. "Hermione, please be reasonable."

Her magic flared once again and static crackled about her. She pulled her arm free of McGonagall and forced it between the two guards "Leave Ronald. And if you ever try to speak to me again I'm going to cut out that lying tongue of yours and feed it to one of Hagrid's pets!"

The sight of the enraged Hermione, struggling to reach him frightened he boy. He knew, at that moment, that the witch fully intended to keep that promise. A quick glance at McGonagall seemed to promise that she would give the boy no cover. Ron nearly pissed in his pants as he scrambled away from the angry witches, before he turned and broke into a run away from the neatly tended home. As Ron ran away, Hermione collapsed, dropping her wand and burying her face in her hands, sobbing. McGonagall dropped down to her knees by the witch, wrapping her arms around the girl and rocked her as she cried. She had wanted to tell her everything would be alright, but couldn't bring herself to do so.

# # #

(Arthur's Notes)

Status:

With this chapter, part 1 of "Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant" is complete. Part 2 will be titled "Decent". The first chapter will be published when I have at least four complete chapters 'in the can', which is where I was when I put out the first chapter of this story. I have roughly 30,000 words written for Part 2 but chapters 7 and 8 have three key missing scenes and chapter 9 is mostly in outline form.

As an aside, in HP and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry's hearing at the ministry was held on August 12, 1995. I moved it to August 14th. The original date is a Saturday. I made the change due to "She-who-must-not-ship's" well known issues with inconsistent or implausible dates throughout the entire Harry Potter series.


End file.
